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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23763223">I'm Not Giving Up on You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanuckleheadCowgirl/pseuds/CanuckleheadCowgirl'>CanuckleheadCowgirl</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnetocerebro/pseuds/magnetocerebro'>magnetocerebro</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The 714 Marvel Universe [42]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Alpha Flight, Avengers (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Weapon X never gives up, X-Kids - Freeform, Young Love, don't do drugs kids</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:42:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>71,977</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23763223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanuckleheadCowgirl/pseuds/CanuckleheadCowgirl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnetocerebro/pseuds/magnetocerebro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After dealing with Hydra and an evil kidnapping telepath, the second generation of X-Men are still reeling. Sure, they're also dating the people they've been dancing around for ages, but that doesn't take away trauma. </p><p>And it turns out the organizations the X-Men beat down to save their kids aren't happy about that beat-down, either.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chance Summers (OC)/Elin Howlett (OC), Logan/K (OC), Mac Hudson/Heather Hudson, Scott Summers/Annie Hale (OC), Sying-Varr (OC)/Krissy Wagner (OC)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The 714 Marvel Universe [42]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/552748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Still a Ways to Go</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After everything that had happened with Jamie and Viper, Scott was glad when Chance was doing well enough to start trying to get back into training, though he went with him to the Danger Room to make sure he was going to be alright. He knew that Chance had the same tendencies he did — to push too hard too fast — and he also knew that he was still struggling at times with some of the left over effects of withdrawl from the drugs as well as trying to get back to where he was before Jamie had started poisoning him.</p><p>But Chance thankfully didn't push himself as hard as Scott was worried he would — possibly because Scott himself was there to make sure he didn't — which meant that while Chance was working his way through a sim, Scott could think over his options.</p><p>Rachel had been working with Krissy ever since she came home, but she had also noticed something in Chance that hadn't been addressed with so much of the focus on the detox and the resulting physical and mental changes from that alone. And yes, Chance still did have a long way to go with that, but now Rachel had come to Scott with something else.</p><p>They had known that Jamie was a telepath, but she was low-level. She shouldn't have been able to push her way into Chance's mind, but that's what Rachel said had happened. Chance's mental defenses had been breached, and Rachel said it was bad enough to need her attention.</p><p>Which meant Scott was left in the unenviable position of telling his son, who was still pushing himself harder than Scott was entirely comfortable with, that there was something else he needed to put on his plate.</p><p>Scott watched Chance move to the side of the room and drop down onto the bench to take a deep drink from his water bottle. He slowly moved to sit down beside him as Chance leaned his head back. "You're doing better," he told Chance.</p><p>"I'm still not up to where I was," Chance said without opening his eyes, the frustration obvious in his tone.</p><p>Scott frowned at that. "You have to give yourself time," he said. He rested a hand on Chance's shoulder with an encouraging sort of look. "You'll get there, but you can't push yourself so hard that you set yourself back, either."</p><p>Chance nodded lightly, though he still looked frustrated. "I just hate that she can take this away from me, even if it's just temporary."</p><p>Scott nodded. "I know," he said. He watched Chance for a moment before he took a deep breath. "Chance… I need you to start doing some sessions with Rachel."</p><p>Chance looked shocked as he turned toward Scott. "I… what?"</p><p>"You need to rebuild your psychic defenses," Scott explained gently. When Chance's shoulders fell at that, he reached for Chance's shoulder to turn him slightly. "I know. It's hard when you're still down, but this is just as important as training when you're on the team. You know it is."</p><p>Chance just nodded with his jaw locked and his gaze on the ground.</p><p>Scott frowned at the reaction, but when Chance still wasn't even speaking to him, he let out a breath. "Rachel said there was some scarring," he explained, still in a gentle tone. "Places where your thoughts had literally been carved out."</p><p>Chance kept glaring at the ground, though he minutely nodded.</p><p>Scott's frown deepened. "Chance, you need to—"</p><p>"I should've figured it out sooner!" Chance burst out, his tone angry and hurt all at once, surprising both of them. Scott simply watched Chance for a long moment, while Chance stared back at him and then looked almost pained before he dropped his head onto his arms folded over his knees.</p><p>Scott watched him carefully as Chance tried to get a hold of himself, and after a long moment, he rested his hand on Chance's back and leaned forward. "Chance, it wasn't your fault."</p><p>"Yes, it was," Chance said without picking his head up.</p><p>"Chance—"</p><p>"Don't you get it?" Chance bit out, finally picking his head up so that Scott could see the open expression there. "I knew something was off, Dad. I'd been trying to break up with her for months. I never even wanted to date her in the first place, but every time I tried to say something, I'd just… I couldn't even think, Dad!" His voice was shaking with frustration. "I couldn't think around her and she … she just…" He finally trailed off, looking suddenly stricken, before he rested his head in his hands again.</p><p>For a moment, Scott simply stared at Chance in pure surprise before he reached over and all but yanked Chance into a tight hug. For a moment, it was obvious that Chance was surprised before he simply relaxed into it, though he didn't quite return it, just resting his forehead on Scott's shoulder.</p><p>"I know," Scott said at last, very quietly. "I know exactly what that's like."</p><p>"I let her do it, Dad," Chance said in a small voice. "I let her into my mind. And I'd wake up in the morning feeling like trash because I let her do it."</p><p>"You did not," Scott said almost sharply. He took Chance by both shoulders to push him up so he could look his son in the face, even if Chance was doing his utmost to stare at the floor, his face red and wet and not just from the workout. "Listen to me, Chance: you didn't let her do anything. If you had, there wouldn't be scars." He shook his head. "But you did not let her in. Rachel said it was pretty clear she'd broken in using the drugs."</p><p>"Dad—"</p><p>"And even if you had let down your defenses, that's not an invitation," Scott said angrily. "That's not an excuse for carving out your mind and mapping herself onto it."</p><p>"That's not—"</p><p>"That's exactly what she did, and don't try to say it wasn't, because I lived it," Scott said — and that more than anything else finally got Chance to look up at him with wide eyes. Scott held his gaze for a moment before he took a deep breath and held it. "Before I met your mother," he said slowly, "for a long time, I was with Emma Frost."</p><p>"I know," Chance pointed out. "Mom hated her."</p><p>Scott nodded. "I'm not going to make excuses for a lot of what happened in that period of my life," he said, "but I can tell you that there were times when I wasn't even sure what was really happening. I can't tell you how many times I saw things that weren't there or thought I'd done something when it was all in my head." He let out a breath. "I know the feeling, Chance. When you wake up in the morning trying to figure out why you're still there."</p><p>Chance stared at Scott. "What did you do?" he asked at last.</p><p>"I left," he said. "But there's not a day that goes by I don't wish I'd left sooner." He met Chance's gaze. "It's harder to see how bad it is when you're living that reality; hindsight is always, always better," he said. "It took me years looking back before I was able to see which parts of those years with Emma were my own bad decisions and which were the ones she made for me, and I'm just glad that, for you, it was only a matter of months." He shook his head. "Which is why you need to talk to Rachel. You can't leave your mind in this state; you have to heal. It's too easy for someone to take advantage when it's still this raw."</p><p>"Speaking from experience," Chance surmised, watching Scott with wide eyes.</p><p>Scott nodded, and he wasn't going to expand on it except that Chance was watching him so openly. He let out a breath and scrubbed a hand over his face. "Right after I left Emma," he said slowly, "when I still felt like I had gone against everything I believed in and torn apart everyone I cared about… I walked right into Sinister." Chance winced visibly, and Scott nodded. "I'm not saying you'll end up where I was — ready to let him run me over — but I know it can get to that point, and I'm trying to make sure you don't make all my same mistakes." He smirked lightly. "The manipulative bottle-blonde telepath notwithstanding."</p><p>Chance was nodding along, though he couldn't help but stare at Scott. "How'd you get away, anyway?"</p><p>"A lot of luck," Scott admitted. "If it hadn't worked, I'm very sure I'd be working for him right now." He shook his head. "It was close."</p><p>Chance stared at Scott and then let out a breath. "Dad… I didn't date the White Queen of Hellfire."</p><p>"That's not—" Scott shook his head and smirked and decided not to correct him. "No, but you did date a protege of Viper's, and I think as you spend any time with Rachel you'll see that not every decision was yours to make." He gestured at Chance. "You said yourself that you kept trying to leave. Do you think it was an accident you didn't get that far? At that point, you weren't the one in control." He let out a breath and then, when Chance didn't seem to react, he pulled him into another hug. "I know you're trying to make things right, and I'm proud of you — but I'm not going to let you punish yourself for someone else's crimes."</p><p>"It's hard to tell the difference," Chance said, though this time, he did return the hug.</p><p>"You'll learn," Scott promised, tightening the hug for a moment before he cleared his throat and then leaned back a bit. "In the meantime," he said, "your mother will kill us both if we're not up in time for dinner."</p><p>"Yeah," Chance said quickly, straightening up himself with a little nod.</p><p>Scott smiled at that and got to his feet before he pulled Chance up as well. "You should probably hit the showers," he said with a smirk.</p><p>"Thanks, Dad, I love you too," Chance smirked before he gave Scott a quick hug and then headed off, leaving Scott shaking his head to himself as he left the Danger Room as well.</p><hr/><p>Logan waited in the booth until both of the Summers were gone, then made doubly sure that the recording that automatically kicked on when someone was in the room was erased from the end of the sim on. He absolutely had not meant to be there while Scott and Chance were working — in fact, he'd only been in the booth reviewing some of the junior team's last practice together when Scott and Chance went right into the Danger Room.</p><p>Recent events in mind, he'd decided to stay and watch to see how far Scott was pushing him — and how far Chance was pushing himself. But when he was ready to turn and head out … that had happened. Logan was sure he didn't want to interrupt it, so he stuck tight rather than risk letting them know he was there to begin with.</p><p>He hadn't expected to have his suspicions about Emma confirmed.</p><p>Logan waited a little while longer — just until the inevitable text came in from Annie reminding him that he needed to join the group for meals. He finally left the booth at a leisurely pace, feigning ignorance of anything when he got up to the dining room and slid into the seat next to his wife. He was barely seated as Scott launched into telling him how Mac was insisting that Chance stay out of Canada until he'd figured it all out. Which, was a great opportunity for Logan to simply nod and keep quiet as Scott planned.</p><hr/><p>Not that Logan was the only one running late for dinner. Krissy and Sying had been sitting on the hangar ceiling together, sharing a pair of headphones so they could listen to music together while they chatted about anything and everything they could think of.</p><p>Krissy was still understandably gun shy about getting too close to Sying, but she was making a conscious effort to get past her hang ups. She didn't want Christian to have the final say in anything to do with the boy she loved.</p><p>She was watching the way their hands hung down between them as they finally responded to the dinner call. Even though they moved fast enough that they could be at the table in a heartbeat, they were running late and lingering.</p><p>The air was charged between them, and so was the silence. And then, suddenly, Krissy reached out and grabbed Sying's hand to hold it.</p><p>Sying startled slightly, but then, he broke into a huge grin. "We should probably go eat with everyone else," he said, though he hadn't taken his eyes off of Krissy.</p><p>"Yeah, probably," she agreed without moving.</p><p>They stayed like that for a long time, simply grinning at each other without a word spoken between them.</p><p>After all, they had waited <em>so </em>long to get together. Dinner could wait just a little bit longer.</p><hr/><p>After dinner, Chance caught up to Elin with a small smile. "Hey, I was thinking … I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner again, maybe something different this time, like Italian or a steakhouse," he said as he fell into step with her.</p><p>"Um … maybe," she said, shifting slightly.</p><p>"Alright, so it doesn't have to be Italian… there's a place with some good subs if you just want basic American sandwiches," Chance said.</p><p>"Honestly that … any of that sounds great, but I'm having a little issue here," Elin said. She looked around them and then cut down the hall to an open room, waiting for him to follow before she closed the door behind him. "I don't know that we should be doing this."</p><p>"What do you mean?" he asked, losing his smile as he watched her. "El, if this is about — I'm not taking you ice skating or anything until I'm up to snuff, and I promise I'll never take you out when I'm having an off day, because I don't want to … El, what are you talking about?"</p><p>"I mean … I had always promised myself that I wouldn't date my best friend's exes," she said.</p><p>"Oh," he said, his eyes wide.</p><p>"It's not you. It's not. But it's a respect issue that I put on myself. Which …" she tipped her head, her eyes rolling toward the ceiling for a moment. "I know what everyone thinks of my family and our honor issues. But we make our own rules for that and try to stick to it." Elin met his gaze and held her breath for a long moment before she let her shoulders drop. "And you are making it very hard to keep to that."</p><p>He stared at her for a long moment before he gave her a small, crooked smile. "That means you enjoyed the date, right?"</p><p>She nodded and wrapped her arms around her middle. "That's really not the point, Chance."</p><p>"Sure it is. Let's go out again, El," he said, smiling a bit wider. "You're not stepping on anyone's toes, I swear. She and I broke up — we're still friends. It's not like she's going to be jealous or I'm going back to her or anything like that."</p><p>"I don't want it to be weird," she said.</p><p>"Is it weird?" he asked, one eyebrow raised. "You getting flack from Krissy?"</p><p>"No, she's on your side."</p><p>"Okay, now I'm really confused. What's the problem here?"</p><p>"I just don't … it's gonna get weird."</p><p>He shook his head at that. "It won't," he swore. "You can't just… I thought we had a really good time and you … you're backing off because it might get weird?"</p><p>"We did have a good time," she said, but couldn't pull up a decent, solid argument to put words to what she was thinking.</p><p>"Then let's go out again," he said, still smiling at her.</p><p>"I don't want to put her in the middle," Elin said. "And she would be. It's not right."</p><p>"Then tell me what you want me to do," he said, watching her with wide eyes.</p><p>"I don't know," she replied, looking upset.</p><p>"If you want me to — I'm not going to ask her for advice on her best friend if it's going to be weird," he swore.</p><p>"But you're best friends too," Elin said. "That's not fair to you either."</p><p>"It's not like I'd never speak to her again," Chance pointed out. "She asked me to talk to Sying the other day because he seemed down about … you know… the whole 'no kissing' thing." He smirked. "As amazing as you are, El, you aren't the only thing we talk about."</p><p>"I know," she said, narrowing her eyes. "I don't … you <em>know </em>that's not what I think."</p><p>"I'm picking," he said, the smirk widening. "You'd think you'd know what that looked like."</p><p>"I don't know how to explain myself right. Obviously I never thought I'd have to deal with anything like this." She wrapped her arms around her middle and took a step back when he grinned and leaned toward her, but that stopped him cold.</p><p>He watched her for a long time. "Just tell me what I need to do," he said quietly. "And I'll do it, I swear."</p><p>"I don't know," she said before she pinched the bridge of her nose. She let out a frustrated little noise and crossed the room to give him a kiss, then simply headed for the door. "I don't know and I can't think." She slipped outside and headed for the woods, knowing he wasn't going to follow her, since it was pretty clear he was trying to catch up from his earlier session with Scott.</p><p>Chance stared after her for a long time after she left and then let out a breath. Now he was even more confused than before.</p><hr/><p>Charlie and James were in the music room, simply because it was still the best place for her to hide out, and he hadn't had much of a chance to just hang out with anyone since the whole mess with Krissy had started … and he was still weighing out how much time he was going to be spending with Stark and how much time he'd be home when Chance found his way into the room with them looking like he'd been hit by a truck.</p><p>"Are you looking for another hug?" James asked, half upside down from where he was lying on the couch. "Because I'm pretty sure Charlie would love to hug you."</p><p>Chance glanced over at James, but before he could answer, Charlie had already rushed over to wrap him up in a hug.</p><p>"Toldja." James watched the two of them for just a moment before he sat up and frowned between them. "Maybe I should leave you two alone."</p><p>Chance shook his head as he and Charlie sat down. "No, it's fine," he said. "What were you two up to, anyway?"</p><p>Charlie smirked. "Just telling him about Amy," she said. "But we can put that on hold. He's being obstinate, but you're completely shocked. What's up?"</p><p>Chance let out a breath. "Elin… I don't even know. We had a good time and she even kissed me but she won't go out with me again?" He held both hands out, palms up. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong."</p><p>James watched the two of them warily, though it was pretty obvious he had thoughts that he wasn't going to share. If it was anyone else, there would have been no hesitation.</p><p>Charlie looked up at James, narrowed her eyes, and then shook her head. "Well, what did she say?" she asked Chance.</p><p>"She's … it's because I dated Krissy," Chance said. "She doesn't want it to be weird. But it's not! And …" He shook his head and ran his hands through his hair again. "I don't know how to … I can't do anything to convince her it won't be weird because I'm not a freakin' fortune-teller!"</p><p>"But she's not saying she doesn't like you," Charlie said.</p><p>"No… she kissed me and then ran away?" Chance glanced up and then shook his head. "I dunno, Charlie. I finally have the chance to go out with her and I know she likes me at least enough to go and kiss me but apparently not to go out with me again?" He threw his hands up. "What am I supposed to do with that?"</p><p>James had one hand over his mouth and was very nearly wincing as he listened to Chance's tale of woe. "You know the answer," James blurted out.</p><p>Both of the Summers twins turned his way, Charlie with one eyebrow quirked up and Chance with an open look of 'what'. "Um. No," Chance pointed out. "No, I don't know how to deal with the girl I've liked since I was in diapers kissing-and-dashing."</p><p>"Yeah, that … is not a picture I needed in my head, thanks so much, No," James said, shaking his head. "You're overthinking it."</p><p>"Genetic predisposition," Charlie said with a small smirk.</p><p>"Exactly," James said, gesturing toward them with both hands as if that was all of the explanation he needed.</p><p>Charlie shook her head and smirked at him. "We already know about you and Elin and the genetic predisposition to stubbornness and running away from good things for themselves."</p><p>"Pot, kettle," James shot back.</p><p>Chance held up his hands in a 'T' for time-out. "Okay, but this isn't about James and his idiot desire to self-combust, Charlie."</p><p>"Wow." James stared at him. "Just … wow."</p><p>Chance gestured at his sister. "Well it's not? I didn't come here to step into Round Ninety-Seven of Why James Should Do The Things He Loves And Is Good At."</p><p>"I … want to help you, but I am severely conflicted on coaching you on my sister," James said.</p><p>Chance held both hands out. "I'm not asking for coaching. I just don't get … any of it."</p><p>"But you do!" James said.</p><p>"James." Chance gave his friend a dry look. "If I understood it, don't you think I would be doing whatever I had to do to win her over right now?"</p><p>James waved at him with one hand. "You can put your disapproving look away; I'm immune to that nonsense. And I swear to you, Chance … you know how to handle this."</p><p>Chance watched James for a long time before he let out a breath and got to his feet. "Yeah, okay," he said.</p><p>"Wait, damnit. You are going to shoot yourself in the foot with that look on your face," James said. "Sit down before you fall down."</p><p>Chance paused and then turned to face James. "What."</p><p>"Is this some fleeting bullshit thing?" James asked. "Because I swear to God, if I help you on this and you screw her up or tip her into the whole 'run and disappear' thing again, I will have to kill you."</p><p>Chance tipped his head forward with the dryest look yet. "You're kidding me, right? I've only liked her since I was barely old enough to talk."</p><p>"No. I'm not kidding, and I told you that look doesn't work on me, so … fix your face."</p><p>"This is how my face works."</p><p>"Well, that might be the problem!" James covered his eyes and let out a breath.</p><p>Chance crossed his arms as he watched James look as if he was debating with himself. "Listen, it's been a long day, and you're the one threatening murder and swearing, so unless you want to insult my face some more…"</p><p>Charlie rolled her eyes. "Boys," she muttered under her breath as she brushed her hands off on her pants and got to her feet to smack Chance in the back of the head. "There's nothing wrong with your face. And you—" She turned to point at James. "Believe me when I tell you that the both of them are giving me headaches over how much they like each other. Headaches, James."</p><p>"Just remember you can't guilt trip me by saying I'm giving you headaches if they've already done it," James said, then shook his head and looked at Chance. "If you're serious …"</p><p>Chance nodded, an open expression on his face. "More than anything."</p><p>"Fine." James held his gaze with the most sincere and open expression he could manage and let his tone drop to a softer more understanding one. "You can't give up. At all."</p><p>Chance was quiet for a long time as he held James' gaze and then very slowly nodded and even smirked. "Yeah, okay," he said. He turned to leave, then paused and turned back. "And James… you shouldn't either."</p><p>"Oh. I'm not." James gave him a little smirk.</p><p>"Okay, I just had to put that out there," he said, then grinned his way. "Thanks."</p><hr/><p>The next day, Elin was sitting in the living room studying for the exam she was planning to take with Annie when Chance came to sit down beside her with two plates in hand, both of them with sandwiches. He slid one to Elin and set down his own backpack full of work he was doing to catch up on the semester. "You missed lunch."</p><p>She glanced up at him and watched him carefully. "Yeah, I was distracted. What … is this for?"</p><p>"Hey, I'm a Hale," he said with a smile her way. "And I know your favorite — though I gotta admit, I thought long and hard about the pickles."</p><p>She couldn't help but smile, though she tried to school it back. "I happen to like the pickles," she said, then set her book aside. "Thank you."</p><p>He grinned as he picked up half of his own turkey and swiss. "I'll put pickles on next time then," he said before he took a big bite that he grinned at her around. He dug in his bag for his own homework to pull out and get to work on as well. "Mind if I join you?"</p><p>"Not at all," she said, pulling her feet up underneath herself. "I might even pick your brain if I come across something I know you're great at."</p><p>He grinned and simply got down to work on his essay for Kate's class. He actually was getting close to caught up — at least he was moving through it all faster the more he could focus and feel like himself, anyway.</p><p>He didn't try to engage her in conversation or anything, just working away in the chair by the couch she was sitting on, though when they had both polished off their sandwiches, he grabbed her plate. "I can grab some popcorn while I'm there. There's something about having a solid snack that helps with homework; I dunno why."</p><p>She stared at him once more before she quietly nodded. "Yeah … thanks. Again."</p><p>He smiled at her. "Not a problem," he said.</p><p>She tipped her head to the side as he left, trying to figure out what his angle was before she simply shook her head at the whole thing and went back to the prepping. She knew he had to be up to something, but it wasn't quite clear to her what he was doing.</p><p>When he came back, he had a bowl of popcorn and a grin. "So," he said as he set it down beside her. "Go out with me."</p><p>"What?" She blinked up at him, clearly not expecting him to try again. Or so quickly.</p><p>"We can just go for a walk — or a drive if you think I can't keep up with you, because I probably can't. But it doesn't have to be anything big, right?" he said.</p><p>"I thought we covered this."</p><p>He watched her for a second and then nodded. "Yeah. So I'm asking again." He sat down and pulled out his own homework and popped a handful of popcorn in his mouth, though he was still watching her.</p><p>She continued to watch him for a few more moments. "Is this a group activity?"</p><p>"Would you prefer a double date? I can ask Sying," he said.</p><p>"I … what?" She shook her head. "<em>No</em>."</p><p>"Okay." Chance nodded and twirled his pencil in his hand before he went back to his work without any further comment.</p><p>She narrowed her eyes and continued to watch him as he worked on his report, clearly waiting for the other shoe to drop, but when the minutes ticked by and there wasn't anything more, she cautiously got back to work herself as well.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Like Father, Like Son</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Rachel sits down with her brother and her father and tries to do the impossible: make them face their issues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even if Rachel hadn't been a telepath, she would have been able to see how much Chance would rather have been spending his time trying to win Elin over on the idea of dating. Not that he would have been open to talking on the best of days, particularly given the subject material, but with something so much <em>better </em>on his mind?</p><p>"Sorry," Chance said again for about the tenth time since they'd sat down together. "Distracted." He had a little more nervous energy than usual, too, some leftover twitchiness he hadn't quite put past him from the boost withdrawal.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm not surprised. You're doing the familial sprint before you crawl thing," Rachel said, then held up both hands. "We all do it. I get it."</p><p>Chance smirked and shrugged one shoulder up. "Helps to have my big sister as my therapist-slash-telepathic-reconstructor, then, huh?" he teased. "Since you get it."</p><p>"Uh huh. It's fine. As long as you actually keep making an effort and don't turn it into playtime."</p><p>"I mean, you didn't bring a game of Risk, so…"</p><p>"You'd just accuse me of cheating if I did," Rachel pointed out. "Sore loser and all."</p><p>"Um, you absolutely cheat, and you're so bad at it that we can all tell," Chance pointed out. "You get <em>smug </em>when you cheat."</p><p>"Not the point," she sang back.</p><p>"Oh, so the point <em>isn't </em>to win by <em>fairly </em>rolling the dice and not getting your brother's strategy out of his head?" Chance asked innocently.</p><p>"The point <em>today </em>is to get you a little further down the road to recovery before I utterly destroy your crappy strategy," Rachel teased.</p><p>"Hey, I had all of South America and Africa, and there is <em>no </em>way I should have rolled that many 1's."</p><p>"Whatever." She waved a hand with a smile. "You were going down anyhow." She leaned forward. "So. Where are we starting today? Are you going to pick, or do you want <em>me </em>to decide what we haven't covered and badly need to?"</p><p>"You're the one with badly-hidden agendas," Chance said after a soft pause.</p><p>"Oh. You think I have an agenda?" Rachel said, doing her best to look surprised. "Yes. I guess I do. I <em>am secretly plotting </em>to get you into a healthy headspace before you <em>rush </em>into another relationship."</p><p>"Woah, hey," Chance said, holding both hands up quickly. "If anything? I dragged my <em>feet</em> with Elin, so let's not go there."</p><p>"How long have you gone — all together — just being unattached?" Rachel asked, then crossed her hands over her knees. "Go ahead and add up all the time between girlfriends."</p><p>Chance paused. "So… are we counting that time I had mono…?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Ah."</p><p>"Come on. What did you come up with? What kind of time have you given yourself to grow <em>on your own</em>?"</p><p>"I mean… can we not count the semester with Jamie, since that wasn't my idea?" Chance offered.</p><p>"No, because even when you were here, you were still acting as if she was your sweetheart. Even if you didn't understand it, you went along with it." She held up one finger. "I know. You were drugged. But you were also away from her enough that you <em>could </em>have feasibly stopped it. It was a choice you made to try and make sense of it when it was making your head spin the wrong way." Rachel tipped her head. "I know it wasn't entirely your call — but you could have made it your call if you were more used to who you are when you're <em>not </em>with someone."</p><p>Chance looked like she'd hit him. "That's… that's not fair, Rach."</p><p>"I'm not sure where you've been, baby brother, but life <em>isn't </em>fair."</p><p>"Yeah but I <em>tried</em>, alright? Even asked Gerry for advice!"</p><p>Rachel nodded. "I know. You tried a few times. But … don't you think that on it's own? The fact that you were trying to get help? You could have dropped <em>some </em>of the good manners. You get to say no to people, too. And honestly, it's not a criticism. It's just a fact. And it's a fact I want you to face before it becomes a lifelong problem."</p><p>"What, getting snookered into dating a Hydra plant?"</p><p>"Putting your needs last. Always." Rachel leaned back, her hands still primly on her knees. "You didn't <em>want </em>to go with her in the first place — but you did anyhow. You didn't <em>want </em>to stay with her — but if I understand it right, you were trying to keep from hurting her feelings, all while she kept taking everything from you. Look at it at the core. Compare it to other, <em>earlier </em>relationships where you weren't happy."</p><p>"Okay, but Jenny didn't put drugs in my coffee, Rach. I feel like we're getting off the path here."</p><p>Rachel smirked. "Okay. Fine. Let's try it from a different angle. One of your best friends is in a relationship with someone that's far pushier than he should be. Is that okay that she goes along with it? Even if she obviously doesn't <em>want </em>to?"</p><p>"Obviously not."</p><p>"So what makes it any different when it's you?"</p><p>"It's… not? I mean… I'm not sure what you're getting at here; I think we all agree Jamie was psycho?"</p><p>"She was. But she wasn't the first girl that you put far ahead of yourself or what you wanted out of things. She just happened to be the psycho that had a means to force you to stay longer."</p><p>"Yeah, but I don't see what that has to do with me and Elin. She's <em>not</em> that way."</p><p>"Seriously?"</p><p>"You're the one telling me not to rush into another relationship, but your reasons are all the opposite of El," Chance reasoned.</p><p>Rachel shook her head. "I'm not two-part-relationship-counseling the two of you," she said flatly. "I <em>know </em>how hung up on her you've always been. <em>I know </em>that she's always been the one you <em>not-so-secretly </em>hoped would turn your way … but I want to make sure before you try anything with her that you can live with yourself. Just. Yourself. Not turning yourself into who you think <em>she </em>wants to be with. You've suffered through a traumatic relationship. Several of them have dinged you up. You just see it clearest here. And you <em>cannot </em>start up anything with that girl if you're not wholly <em>you</em>."</p><p>Chance blinked at Rachel several times over before he crossed his arms and slunk back in his chair. "Alright, I take it back. This was better when you were trying to get me to talk about Jamie."</p><p>"Too late." She waved a hand as if shooing a fly. "We're past her."</p><p>"Then can't we just finish fixing the damage she left in my mind and call it a day? This seems like it's unrelated."</p><p>"Nope. Because if you approach things with your dream girl like you've approached them with every other girl — you'll lose her." Rachel crossed her arms. "If you don't believe me, ask our big brother. Or Billy. And I want you to be happy, Chance. But that means you have to be able to stand on your own without a girl waiting for you."</p><p>"I'm okay," Chance swore. "I mean, that was why I went to Canada, right? Team leader? Kinda fun?"</p><p>"You still haven't answered my first question."</p><p>"I honestly don't even remember what it was anymore."</p><p>"How long have you survived your teenage years without a girlfriend?"</p><p>Chance sighed and leaned back further. "More or less not at all," he muttered under his breath, then raised his voice. "But I can't back out with Elin <em>now</em>. Don't ask me to do that when she and I <em>finally </em>went on a date. That's mean beyond big sister levels of mean."</p><p>"I'm asking you to take your time," Rachel said. "Because honestly, <em>both </em>of you have done the same thing, and if you're both putting yourselves last, someone is going to get run over and you'll never forgive yourselves."</p><p>"Well, I'm still in the begging-for-another-date stage, so I think slow and steady is the norm, Rach," Chance said dryly.</p><p>"You're not even listening to me," Rachel said with a sigh. "Clone."</p><p>"Name-calling. Cute."</p><p>"Figured I'd speak your language." She waved one hand. "Now … lock your jaw and give me a dry, chin-down look."</p><p>"Oh my <em>God</em>, Rachel," Chance said, rolling his eyes and tipping himself back in his chair so it was on too legs. "For crying out loud… I'm trying to get back on the team, and I've been talking to Mac about getting my suit back, okay? Those are things <em>I </em>like. I'm not just… just… mindlessly following Elin around like you make it out!"</p><p>"How long can you handle her saying no before you move on?"</p><p>"Honestly? Kinda basing it on how long before Charlie pulls the plug. She's a better judge than I am, and she seems to think Elin's still interested, so…"</p><p>Rachel reached over and thwacked him in the side of the head. "You can't <em>cheat</em>."</p><p>Chance rubbed his head where she'd hit him. "Um, yes I can; that's why God gave me a cheater for a twin!"</p><p>"Then <em>maybe </em>I'll fill in Charlie on why that's a horrible idea. Considering you're <em>basing your decisions </em>on how Elin feels about things instead of following your <em>own </em>heart."</p><p>"Hey, if I did that, I'd still be asking her at eighty years old, and I'm pretty sure there's a line somewhere before that," Chance pointed out.</p><p>"You are just as stubborn as him, too. It's ugly, Chance. Very ugly." Rachel shook her head. "I don't know how it is that the <em>women </em>in this family are the ones that can figure simple things like this out. <em>Charlie </em>can be alone. She's a miserable, quietly pining mess, but she can do it."</p><p>"<em>Charlie </em>cheats and knows if someone's interested."</p><p>"<em>Not everyone</em>." Rachel said. "Because I can hear it, and she's <em>missing things.</em>"</p><p>Chance sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're talking in circles," he muttered. "And I don't <em>want </em>to be alone, have you considered that?"</p><p>"I have. But you don't even know what that's like to say you don't want it. And I'll tell you right now, if she hasn't told you already, your little dream girl is hesitant to be the rebound."</p><p>"She's not."</p><p>"Okay. But if you're both bending over backwards to put each other first <em>like you both do</em>, someone will end up broken." Rachel re-crossed her arms. "And as idiotic as it might sound, I think my chances are better at getting <em>you </em>to consider a change of self-awareness than they are to even <em>think </em>about getting anyone in that family to even spend five minutes not pretending to sleep in a session."</p><p>"That… is not wrong," Chance finally admitted, letting all four legs of the chair back down onto the ground. "Okay, then, how's this: I'm <em>selfishly </em>gonna keep asking until she either turns me down flat or goes out with me steady."</p><p>"Oh my God." Rachel covered her face with both hands.</p><p>"You're turning colors, Rachel. That's not very healthy," Chance said, grinning widely.</p><p>"You're going to make my head light up into a ball of fire."</p><p>"Also not healthy," Chance said without missing a beat. "Seriously, though. I'll work at it, okay? For your sanity? Do bachelor things like wrench in the garage on the <em>Shanghai</em>?"</p><p>"I swear to God, if I head into the garage and you're helping her and her father on the Jeep, I'm going to slap you."</p><p>"See, now I almost want to just so you have to explain it to her. 'See, my brother here is an idiot and won't stop helping you. How dare he be as polite and accommodating as he was raised to be.'"</p><p>"That won't get you … you know what? You're Dad 2.0."</p><p>"Human version," Chance said with a crooked smile.</p><p>"Same personality. Same self-degradation disguised as 'good manners' for an excuse."</p><p>Chance grinned at her for a while longer before he let the expression soften and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Love you too," he said.</p><p>"Yeah, you say that now," Rachel said. "Logan told Elin she needs time too."</p><p>Chance's smile finally did fall, and he let out a long breath. "Fine."</p><p>"He's not pushing so much for the 'stand alone' thing as much as he's trying to make sure she doesn't come out the other end of this next few months <em>damaged </em>from her own choices."</p><p>"Yeah, I get that, actually," Chance said softly. He paused. "So… are you going to stop me from still asking her? Because I'm trying to figure out what to do here."</p><p>"No, I'm not going to stop you from anything," Rachel said. "But I do want you to try and be yourself in the meantime. And <em>if </em>she agrees to go out again, you need to keep a focus on yourself, too. She could be alone. She very nearly was already — aside from the pushy boyfriends. But that family, for as indestructible as they can be? You're dealing with the heart. So go <em>more </em>gentle."</p><p>"Okay."</p><p>"You don't need Charlie to cheat either," Rachel said. "If Elin decides she's not interested, or if she gets tired of hearing it — there probably won't be any misinterpretation."</p><p>"Also true," Chance said. He got to his feet, smirked, and said, "Want me to send Dad your way now or do you want to just pretend I'm him and say you've done us both?"</p><p>"For as much good as I'm doing both of you?"</p><p>Chance shook his head before he grabbed Rachel's arm to pull her up and into a hug. "Hey," he said into the hug, "I'm <em>trying</em>, okay? I know you've got my back. For the record."</p><p>"Try harder. I won't stop Logan if he decides it's time to teach someone a lesson."</p><p>"Feel a little less like you have my back now."</p><p>"You needed motivation."</p><p>"Uh-huh." He shook his head and stepped back from the hug. "Good luck with the Version 1.0," he said as he stepped out the door, waving over his shoulder.</p><p>"I'm downgrading you to 1.6," Rachel said as Chance hit the hallway.</p><p>She was just loud enough that Scott heard it too as Annie made sure he got to Rachel's office in time. He thumbed over his shoulder at Chance's retreating form. "Progress?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.</p><p>"Undetermined, 1.0."</p><p>"I'm sure there's a joke here," Scott said as Annie shook her head, laughed, and kissed his cheek before leaving him there.</p><p>"It's … really not much of a joke, Dad," Rachel said as he took a seat. "I was just pointing out to him that the two of you have a lot of the same … issues. I'm trying to get him to discover who he is when he's <em>not </em>attached to one girl or another."</p><p>"Good luck."</p><p>"It's either that or get the girl he's interested in to … yeah. That's never going to happen."</p><p>"Get her to what? Date him at all? I know it's still an issue…"</p><p>"She's dealing with a lot of unresolved trauma herself," Rachel said, knowing that it was far easier for Scott to talk about other people's issues than his own. At least to start.</p><p>"I know," Scott said. "I've talked with Logan a few times. Tried to, anyway."</p><p>"Then you know what I'm talking about. I've got a better chance of getting my brother to try and stand on his own than I do of getting her to realize her <em>worth</em>. It's a genetic defect with them."</p><p>"We're all working on it," Scott said. "Thankfully, these kids have better support systems than we did."</p><p>"Don't be so sure of that," Rachel said. "Yes, they have the systems, and the family, and the people that care, but how many of them are willing to reach out when they need it? Chance lost the better part of a semester dealing with a pushy, manipulative girl while he was more concerned about hurting her feelings than he was admitting that something was wrong. And I don't need to point out how Elin has a tendency to just <em>go along </em>with whatever some guy wants just so she can pretend like she's being social."</p><p>"Those two in particular have never been good at asking for help," Scott said in a sigh.</p><p>"Right. So what would <em>you </em>tell Chance?"</p><p>"What I've been telling him. To stop putting everything on his own shoulders. God knows I know where that leads," Scott said, shaking his head.</p><p>Rachel nodded her head in agreement. "I asked him how long he's been without a girl during his teen years so far. He's not happy with my opinion that he needs time to be himself before diving in again."</p><p>"Hey, if you'd tried to stop me asking Jean, I'd have laughed in your face. Not surprised."</p><p>"Is that the level we're dealing with here, Dad?"</p><p>Scott shook his head. "Not sure, but I do know he won't get over her by <em>sitting still</em>."</p><p>"Well, dating anyone who said yes didn't work," Rachel said in a sigh. "At least it's different."</p><p>Scott leaned back and watched her. "He'll be alright, Rachel. I appreciate you helping him get there."</p><p>"Were you okay when Mom lost it?" Rachel asked.</p><p>Scott stopped, the open look on his face evidence of how much he was caught off his guard. "What? No. Of course not."</p><p>"I know there's no preparing for something like that, but … Elin is a lot like her dad in how she reacts to things. I'm concerned that if things got rolling then <em>blew up </em>… where would that leave Chance?"</p><p>"Banned from even <em>looking </em>at blondes for a decade," Scott said dryly, though his frown said he was genuinely worried about that particular outcome.</p><p>Rachel smiled at that. "He's <em>so </em>much like you."</p><p>"I know. That's what worries me."</p><p>"It's maddening."</p><p>"And here I thought we'd been getting along better lately," Scott had to tease. "Sorry to hear I'm so hard to deal with."</p><p>"When you're certain you're in the right — it <em>is </em>maddening. Especially when you're wrong and can't see it. Chance thinks I'm threatening his shot with Elin because I want him to slow down and take care of himself first." She tipped her head. "I'm <em>not </em>telling him how delicate she is right now after that fiasco, either. It would only make him either feel guilty or get more protective."</p><p>"Rachel, I hate to tell you this, but you should see yourself when Bobby's in trouble…"</p><p>"Oh. Everyone's screwed, sure. But I'm like you — too old to bother trying to really change it."</p><p>"Well, if that's settled," Scott said, smirking, "we'll just work on those kids together."</p><p>"Ha. Cute. I'll tell Annie you gave up on this session, then."</p><p>"Wow, using your stepmother against me. I'd be proud if I wasn't annoyed."</p><p>"It's times like this I sit back and think 'What would Mom do?' and I think to myself — <em>win.</em>"</p><p>Scott's smile warmed up more genuinely. "You really are so much like her. Give Chance grief about being me all you want, but you are a <em>lot </em>like your mother, too."</p><p>"Thank you," Rachel said. "But if you're done deflecting, we really should get down to work."</p><p>Scott let out a long sigh. "Rachel, we can call someone else in for this," he said gently. "I already know how you feel about Emma. And about the time we were together."</p><p>"Is it because of how I feel or is it because it's harder to talk about when I look so much like Mom?"</p><p>Scott's lips parted slightly, and he looked like she'd hit him. Then, slowly, he shook his head. "It's… just that I don't want you to feel like I'm excusing away the damage," he said at last. "To you. The team. <em>Jean</em>."</p><p>"Dad. You've done everything in your power to fix whatever damage was done to everyone and everything <em>but </em>yourself. I'm okay. I'm not going anywhere, and I want to help you for a change."</p><p>"You do," Scott promised her warmly. But when she held his gaze, he sighed it out. "What did Chance tell you, exactly? So I have a place to start. Because I know you arranged this after what I told him."</p><p>"Is that your way of saying you don't remember what you told him — or you want to know how twisted it got in the retelling?"</p><p>"I want to know what you think we're here for <em>and </em>what he thinks happened."</p><p>Rachel nodded and took a moment to project to him exactly what Chance had told her — just to clarify and not miss anything. And … it was a tough subject for both of them.</p><p>For a long time, the two of them sat in silence before Scott finally ventured a quiet, "I'm sorry it took me so long to leave. Really."</p><p>"It really wasn't much different than the way Jamie drugged Chance."</p><p>"On the surface, yes, that's why I shared it with him," Scott agreed. "It doesn't excuse how long I ignored everyone else telling me I wasn't myself, though."</p><p>"She was also manipulating the people around you, too," Rachel pointed out. "Pushing them away, causing division … it was much worse than Chance and that hag, because Emma made sure you thought everyone was ditching you."</p><p>The corner of Scott's mouth turned down. "Yes. Well. It's fine."</p><p>"It's really, really not fine."</p><p>"No, but I'm fine," Scott corrected himself.</p><p>"No, but you're <em>not</em>," Rachel argued. "She did you actual, long-lasting <em>harm</em> that you're still dealing with years later, Dad. That is not fine."</p><p>"Rachel, sweetheart, you can't kill her again," he pointed out with a grim smirk. "Besides, I have you and the other kids and Annie… We move on, right?"</p><p>"I'm the Phoenix; I can kill anyone as often as I like," she teased. "But that's not the point. The point is that part of moving on is dealing with it."</p><p>Scott let out a long breath and leaned forward. "And you're sure you're alright being the one to deal with it with me."</p><p>"Dad. I love you. I really am alright with this. If that witch were to somehow pop up, I'd drop a house on her just because I can. But I'd make sure this time around you had a chance to tell her what you needed to get off your chest <em>first</em>."</p><p>Scott was quiet for a long time before he finally cracked a crooked smile. "Well, we can always start there."</p><hr/><p>Annie didn't push Scott to say anything when he came back to their suite after his talk with Rachel. She knew, all things considered, that the subject material couldn't have been easy for him to talk about.</p><p>And if she was honest with herself, she didn't much like to think about it either.</p><p>She had <em>mostly </em>made her peace with the ghost of Emma Frost. After their Mojo-driven showdown, she'd been less mad at Emma and more frustrated with Scott for thinking so little of himself that he was so vulnerable to Emma's manipulations at the time. With some time and space, she'd gotten past that, too, and had even managed something <em>resembling </em>polite mourning when Emma died.</p><p>And yet, this felt different. This was a much deeper hurt than listening to Emma convince Scott that he wasn't worth loving. This went to the root of that relationship in the first place.</p><p>And Annie didn't know how to heal that hurt for Scott.</p><p>On the other hand, she knew from talking to some of the other X-Men that this long-overdue chat was <em>so </em>good for Scott and Rachel themselves, considering how quickly their relationship had taken a sharp right when Rachel had arrived in this world to find her father with Emma. The fact that the two of them were even willing to delve into this was miraculous, since they both seemed to be allergic to addressing their issues.</p><p>Honestly, if Annie didn't love her family so much…</p><p>She shook her head to herself and took her time in a nice warm bubble bath after Scott got in bed. She knew he wouldn't sleep for a while; he always kept himself awake with his mind going a mile a minute after things like this. So when she did finally join him, she was sure he'd had enough time to <em>begin </em>to process whatever he and Rachel had talked about.</p><p>She looked over his shoulder to see that he was rereading some intel she <em>knew </em>she'd seen before, so she gently closed the laptop with her head on his shoulder.</p><p>"Annie…"</p><p>"Scott," she said calmly, though she was smiling up at him, "you're not going to make yourself feel better by rereading anything."</p><p>"I was just—"</p><p>"Mmhmm." Annie shook her head and then leaned forward so she could steal a kiss. "I know what you were talking about, sweetheart, but if it hasn't put you off, I have suggestions for much better distractions."</p><p>Both of Scott's eyebrows went up, but to Annie's delight, a crooked smile pulled at his expression as he turned her way fully — and answered her with a deep and gentle kiss.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Stolen Kisses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Chance and Elin are still feeling their way around each other but Krissy and Sying are moving ahead.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Krissy had been plotting away for Elin's birthday on how she was going to surprise her friend and take her out to the lake where the rest of their friends were waiting — since it was surprisingly warm and they were going to take advantage of the early warm weather before it fell back into cold again, like it always did around that time of year.</p><p>But seeing as Elin was spending all her time getting prepped for her test — which Annie was going to let her take at the end of the semester — Krissy figured she knew where to find her friend, and she hadn't minded at all when, in the middle of planning and plotting, Sying had snagged her and pulled her around the corner to wrap her up in a hug. They weren't quite to kissing yet, but she wanted to. So badly.</p><p>She giggled as he pulled her aside with a grin. "You're not as sneaky as you think you are," he teased her. "Elin totally knows you're planning a party."</p><p>"It is her birthday," Krissy pointed out, grinning up at him. They really were close, and she thought about kissing him, but her stomach twisted up in knots every time she got close.</p><p>He grinned. "What did you get her?"</p><p>"You'll find out when she opens it."</p><p>"You got her those shoes, didn't you?"</p><p>"They were gorgeous <em>and </em>practical," Krissy pointed out, her eyes wide. "Do you know how hard that is to find? And I made Charlie try them out so that she could tell me if they were comfortable for non-Elf feet, and she didn't want to take them off."</p><p>"I didn't say it was a bad thing," he pointed out, shaking his head at her.</p><p>"What did you get her, smarty pants?" Krissy asked, then held up a hand. "Wait, don't tell me. You got her music, didn't you?"</p><p>"For your information, I got her some new riding breeches."</p><p>Krissy grinned up at him. "Oh, shaking things up, are you?"</p><p>"I am much better at sneaking than you are," he teased.</p><p>"You so are not," she laughed. "I'm much better at infiltration."</p><p>"Okay, mission-sneak doesn't count."</p><p>"Because I'm better at it."</p><p>"We're talking about your party-sneak here."</p><p>"I think you just can't admit that I'm sneakier than you are," Krissy all but sang out, her tail swaying easily behind her as she grinned up at him.</p><p>He couldn't help but laugh at the good mood she was in before he shook his head at her. "Okay, Krissy," he said. "You are very sneaky. Does that make you feel better?"</p><p>"It really does," she said, still grinning up at him.</p><p>Sying kept smiling down at her for a long moment before he took a deep breath and wrapped her up in a hug. "It's great to see you smiling like that," he said.</p><p>She smiled up at him a little wider, took a deep breath, and then stood up on her toes to very quickly steal a kiss.</p><p>Her heart skipped a beat, and Sying had totally stopped as she watched him, though when she hadn't disappeared, he started to grin and then let out a little laugh.</p><p>Krissy flushed a deep purple and couldn't stop grinning either, though she was also incredibly flustered — and ended up teleporting off to the living room to find Elin because she simply didn't know what she was supposed to do next — because this meant she could kiss him now and she just… wanted to do it all the time and that wasn't what she needed to be spending her best friend's birthday doing...</p><p>"Hey, Kris," Chance said with a crooked smile. He was doing homework in the chair beside Elin, as usual, which Krissy thought was really sweet, because she knew how Logan and K had gotten engaged — her parents had told the story often enough. She didn't even know if Chance knew the story, but if he did, it was kind of perfect.</p><p>"You're not sneaky," Elin called over without picking her head up.</p><p>"I am sneaky when I want to be," Krissy defended.</p><p>"Oh-kay," Elin sang out.</p><p>Krissy giggled at that but then grabbed Elin by the shoulder and teleported off to the lake, though not quite in the middle of the party yet, because she had news. "Ellie, I kissed him!" she breathed out, her eyes wide as she was practically bouncing in place.</p><p>"Sying?"</p><p>Krissy giggled. "Who else?" she pointed out.</p><p>"I had to double check," she teased. "So … now what?"</p><p>Krissy couldn't stop grinning, though she shook her head. "I… I don't know. But I'm definitely going to do it again…"</p><p>"Well … did you panic? Or run away? Or just turn like <em>bright</em> freakin' purple?"</p><p>"Umm… the last one," she said, doing a good impression of the shade as she blushed.</p><p>"I know. You were still purple around the ears when you came in." Elin shooed her with both hands. "Go have a cupcake together."</p><p>"We will, but you need to have one too. It's your birthday, and Annie made them with less dye and everything because she's just like that," Krissy pointed out.</p><p>"She knows that I can taste the dye," Elin said before she linked arms with her and gave her a kiss. "Huh. No purple. You should go find someone who makes you blush better."</p><p>Krissy giggled. "And so should you," she teased.</p><p>"If I'm turning purple, I'm probably dying. Are you hoping I drop dead? Already?"</p><p>"Find someone who makes you blush," Krissy said. "Oh my gosh and you say I'm dramatic."</p><p>"You are. I'm dark. You're dramatic. Think of the horrible things we could come up with together."</p><p>"Are you proposing an evil alliance? Because if so, I think you might maybe want to rethink leading the X-Men and start looking into, like, the Sisterhood of Evil wardrobe changes…"</p><p>Elin tipped her head to the side. "Hmm. Not the worst idea I've ever heard, and there is a vacancy in the realm of evil women."</p><p>Krissy rolled her eyes at her friend. "Okay, but if that's the case, then I'm going to need to find, like, spikes or something. To do the evil minion look properly."</p><p>"Yes, that will work," Elin decided. "I'll try out the skin-tight biker chick look."</p><p>"It's a plan," Krissy laughed before she simply teleported them both to the party, where the rest of their friends were gathered with cupcakes and such.</p><p>Elin wrapped Krissy in a hug. "Go have cupcakes with your sweetheart. I can't have any if I'm going to do the skin-tight evil lady look."</p><p>Krissy rolled her eyes at that and kissed her friend's cheek. "It's your birthday. Consider it your cheat day on the skin-tight look."</p><p>"Besides," Chance said as he came over to the two of them with a red and a blue cupcake to hand one to Elin, "Mom made 'em. Kind of a point of pride at this point."</p><p>"Sugar pusher."</p><p>"Hale."</p><p>Elin turned to Krissy. "Didn't I just say that?"</p><p>Krissy laughed and held up her hands. "I'm not here to translate," she said before she disappeared off to find Sying.</p><p>Chance couldn't help but laugh and shake his head at that. "So," he said, "split with me?"</p><p>"Always," Elin replied with a laugh of her own. "How else are you going to get four times over the recommended daily sugar intake?"</p><p>Chance grinned as he sat down with Elin. "Oh, hey, I got you something," he said as he pulled out a small box from his jacket.</p><p>"Well, thank you," Elin said, frowning a little bit. "Is this a 'now' or 'later' thing?"</p><p>"Well, you can open it whenever, but I thought I'd catch you…"</p><p>"Because … first," Elin said, nodding.</p><p>He grinned. "Well, yeah."</p><p>She shook her head and tore the paper to find that the box held a gorgeous golden hair clip. She picked it up out of the box and pulled her hair back to set it into place before she realized that there was a piece of paper in the bottom of the box. "What's this, troubles?" she asked as she opened it up and then promptly grinned at it when she saw it was a handwritten pass for a free flight to anywhere.</p><p>"Thought you might want a guaranteed getaway from all the drama," Chance said with a smile. "And the <em>Shanghai</em> is back on speaking terms with me now that I'm more or less myself. Been working on her when I'm not doing homework."</p><p>"Can we go now?" she asked perfectly straight faced.</p><p>Chance grinned at her. "I think everyone else wants you to open their presents, but yeah, soon as the party's over, I got no problem with that."</p><p>"Thanks," She said before she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Very sweet on both counts, but maybe we'll just save this for later." She picked up the paper and re-folded it to put it back in the box and pocket it.</p><p>He grinned at her. "Happy birthday."</p><p>"And a very merry unbirthday to you, Sweet Summers."</p><hr/><p>Chance was still knee-deep in homework when he wasn't hanging out with Elin or checking in with Hank or getting lectures from Rachel. He was almost caught up… and then the teachers had all seemed to realize that the end of the semester was only a little over a month away, and he was back in the thick of it all over again.</p><p>So he absolutely wasn't paying attention or anywhere close to expecting it when Malin peered over at him in the middle of his statistics problems.</p><p>"Your hair is a mess," Malin informed him. "Why's it so crazy?"</p><p>Chance leaned back and smiled at her. "I have a bad habit of messing with it when I'm thinking," he admitted, absently smoothing it down again. "And I just finished my math problems. Lots of thinking there."</p><p>"Well … you should let me fix it," she decided, slipping over closer.</p><p>"Oh… that's alright," he said.</p><p>But Malin grinned up at him before she threw her arms around his neck and gave him the very best snuggle that she knew how to do. "Puh-leeeeeeeeeeeeease! I won't shave your head or dye it green or anything stupid like that."</p><p>"Hey, I bet I'd look alright in green. Michael's hair is green, and we're related," he tried to joke.</p><p>"Well … maybe," she said before she leaned forward to touch noses with him and look him squarely in the eyes. "But <em>listen</em>. I need. To brush. Your hair."</p><p>"Not dye it?" he asked.</p><p>"Not today," she replied matter-of-factly. "Just brush it." She looked both ways and over her shoulder before she leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "Elin told me that when I do my negotiations, I gotta start bigger than I want, then work back. So. I could dye your hair if you <em>want</em>, but it's gonna take a lot of green sharpies, and I really just wanna brush it."</p><p>"That's alright; I didn't want to dye it anyway," he promised. "So... I guess you could brush it and leave the green sharpies alone."</p><p>She gave him a broad grin and darted off, returning just a few minutes later with a brush and a comb before she climbed up on the back of the couch to more or less park herself on his shoulders. "Okay. I'll try not to pull, but you probably got a lot of knots."</p><p>"I'm tough; I can take it," he promised, though he was hiding his hands underneath his knees so she didn't see that he was white-knuckled holding on. He was working on being okay, but he still didn't like anyone playing with his hair. But he couldn't say no to a tiny, determined stylist, either.</p><p>Malin was singing to herself, but her words were garbled enough that Chance couldn't focus on the song right — and he was pretty sure that she was making up some of the words. But Malin was careful as she brushed his hair not to pull on the tangles but to work them out as she found them.</p><p>And while she was working on him, Logan walked into the room on his way to the kitchen and simply stopped when he saw the look on Chance's face. "You alright with her for a couple minutes?"</p><p>"Yeah," Chance said quietly. "She's just brushing it out."</p><p>"Uh-huh," Logan said, though when he passed them by, he tapped Malin on the shoulder, and, without a word, she set the brush down and slid down to sit next to Chance instead.</p><p>When Logan returned, Malin gave Chance a kiss on the cheek and skipped out of the room as Logan set down a cup of tea in front of Chance. "That'll help."</p><p>"What's in it?" he asked.</p><p>"Tea," Logan said, picking up his own cup. "But the jasmine flowers have a way of helping you relax when you breathe in the steam."</p><p>Chance nodded quietly and took a long drink, closing his eyes and trying to focus on the steam, which, to his surprise, was helping.</p><p>"Don't let anyone rush you before you're ready. Even sweet little troublemakers," Logan told him before he tapped the side of his head. "That one takes a while to get past."</p><p>"I'm trying to be alright," Chance told him.</p><p>"I know. And you're doing fine. I'm just telling you not to let anyone push you."</p><p>"I guess I just don't understand," Chance muttered. "I'm trying to be better. I've got to push to do that. It's not anyone else's problem."</p><p>"Yeah, and how are you handling it right now?"</p><p>"Tea's helping, thanks," Chance said.</p><p>"Pushing yourself is fine. You gotta make sure you soak too. All push won't work."</p><p>Chance nodded quietly to himself. "Yes, sir."</p><p>"Don't start that crap with me," Logan growled out.</p><p>Chance looked up in surprise. "I'm trying to be respectful."</p><p>"Well, do what you always did before," Logan told him.</p><p>"Yeah, that's not going to work," Chance pointed out.</p><p>"Why not? Even when I was in the service I didn't have anyone callin' me 'sir'."</p><p>"Alright. I'm just — alright," he said, shaking his head to himself. He was doing everything in his power to get back on good footing with Logan, but it seemed like everything he did just pissed him off. Probably didn't help that he was trying to date his daughter, but still. Logan had been his hero growing up; he <em>needed </em>his approval. He'd thought being respectful was the way to go, but he was wrong again. So, he simply said: "Thanks for the tea."</p><p>"You're welcome," Logan told him before he stood up to leave him to his work.</p><hr/><p>Even though the music room was usually either Charlie's or the Howletts' haunt, that wasn't the case lately, because the drama department had decided on a musical for this semester's play, and most of the students involved were down there at some point or another practicing.</p><p>Kaleb had asked Kari to help him pluck out his part on the piano, so that's where Sying found the both of them, contentedly practicing together as Krissy sang back the answering parts for the song.</p><p>"You guys sound great," Sying said with a smile.</p><p>Kaleb grinned up at Sying and then teleported away from the piano to where he'd left his playbook. "Of course we do," he said with a little grin. "Have fun!" With that, he disappeared in a poof of blue, leaving Krissy shaking her head at her brother's antics.</p><p>"I think he likes me," Sying teased as he held out his hand to Krissy.</p><p>"He better," she teased right back.</p><p>"Would you stick with me if he didn't?" Sying asked with a little smile.</p><p>Krissy poked her lips out in a pout as she pretended to consider it. "I dunno, Sying, he's my brother…"</p><p>"I'd win him over," Sying decided.</p><p>Krissy grinned over at him and squeezed his hand before they teleported off to the sandwich shop where they had planned to go out to lunch.</p><p>"You two really do sound good together," Sying said as they found a booth to sit together.</p><p>"He's going to end up being a tenor like Papa," Krissy said.</p><p>"He's in good company," Sying said with a smirk. "I can't hit the bass notes."</p><p>"Yes, but you're older than him," she laughed.</p><p>"Yeah, well," Sying grinned and rubbed a hand through his hair. "I tell you what, I can hit the notes to every Queen song, though."</p><p>"Oh, I didn't say tenor was a bad thing," she laughed.</p><p>Sying nodded with a little grin. "Oh good. Because I don't think I can change that."</p><p>"No," Krissy agreed, scooting over a bit to rest her head on his shoulder.</p><p>The two of them sat in comfortable silence as they waited for their order to arrive. "You know, Elin's almost ready to test out," Krissy said, still with her head on Sying's shoulder. "All my friends are done with school and leaving me in the dust."</p><p>Sying smirked and kissed her forehead. "It's the only thing you've done the normal-paced way," he teased. "Everything else is go-go-go…"</p><p>"I'm just not a super genius like you," she said.</p><p>"That's not true," he shot back with a warm smile. "You're definitely a genius. No one on earth comes up with more dramatic stories."</p><p>"You're hilarious."</p><p>"I'm serious," he said, grinning a bit wider.</p><p>"I know you are, which is what makes you even more ridiculous," Krissy said.</p><p>"Now I know you've been hanging out with Elin," Sying laughed.</p><p>She shook her head at that and leaned up to kiss him. "I wasn't saying — I don't mind not being a super genius and knowing fifty ways to reengineer a space ship. I just mind that everyone else is going ahead of me."</p><p>He nodded seriously and gave her a little squeeze. "Don't worry; we're not going anywhere," he promised before he kissed her back — though this time, maybe she hadn't expected it or it was just an off moment, but she froze up, and he very quickly backed off, holding his breath until he saw her take one of her own.</p><p>"You okay?" he asked after a long moment.</p><p>She took another deep breath and then nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay."</p><p>He watched her for another long moment and then flagged down the waiter. "We'll take this to go," he said. "Let's get out of here and do something else."</p><p>"Are you sure?"</p><p>"Yeah, we can eat sandwiches whenever," he assured her, waving his hand to illustrate how much he was unconcerned so she wouldn't feel bad about breaking up the date. "Besides, all that music earlier sort of put me in the mood for dancing, and nobody's going to bother us on the ceiling in the hangar."</p><p>"Dancing on the ceiling," Krissy said, nodding to herself before a slow grin spread over her face. "Alright — but we'll have to get the Cherry Bomb to actually play the music."</p><p>"No headphones?"</p><p>"Too close to do any dramatic dips," she said with half a smirk that he couldn't help but laugh at — and as soon as the boxes arrived for their food, they had teleported off together.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Lovestruck Boys</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which fluff.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chance and Elin were down in the gym sparring. He had asked her to help him to push himself to get back up to where he used to be, and as promised, she wasn't going easy on him. But he was finally starting to get it back — at least enough that he wasn't totally wiped whenever they would spar.</p><p>At the end of the sparring session, the two of them grabbed water bottles and sat down, and he was still grinning after the workout because he could see his progress and was finally starting to feel like he had a handle on things.</p><p>It was probably Elin's favorite part of their little routine. The sparring always had her thinking ahead to keep him off his guard — so she was always pushing to see if she could throw him off <em>fairly</em>. She'd realized too late one day that a well-timed smile was more than enough to blow his concentration. But she didn't like to win like <em>that.</em> It was too easy, for one thing — and for another … she really didn't want to hit him much when he grinned at her. That … that was something she was starting to come to terms with.</p><p>For years, it was the same routine—: he'd be on a break with someone and flirt. Only, she'd been sure that even with the big speech he'd made … he really hadn't been genuine when they were younger. Or if he was, it was fleeting. Now …</p><p>It was different.</p><p>He was working on himself. A lot. He'd dedicated every waking moment to getting back to where he'd been <em>and surpassing </em>that mark. But unlike any other time he'd flirted with her, now, Chance didn't seem to be <em>trying </em>as hard to flirt. It was the first time Elin had seen him really let it <em>flow </em>instead of trying to make it more polished. Or more clever. Or generally less <em>him</em>. He was much more relaxed when he'd drop a complement her way. Like it was as easy as breathing for him, or as if he'd honestly been holding it back and was now free to speak his mind. It really was the kind of flirting that she'd wanted all along. It was the kind of flirting that she'd seen through observing her elders, the kind that wasn't forced.</p><p>She watched him stretch out of the corner of her eye, so he didn't see that she was watching him. But Elin hadn't missed a thing yet. After he'd finished stretching, he leaned over onto one elbow and stretched his legs out to his full length. She saw the easy grin as it slipped across his expression while he watched her finish her stretches. And she saw that, unlike times past, he wasn't peacocking or trying to flex and show off. Even if he was clearly checking her out, too.</p><p>She was comfortable. She felt safe — something that hadn't been the case around interested boys from the time she really understood what it was that those boys were obsessed with. Turning the water bottle over in her hands, Elin smiled to herself and then took a deep drink and leaned back, propping herself up with one arm.</p><p>While she was leaned back like that, she realized that he hadn't pushed her for more physical contact. Not when she was all wrapped up in layers and not when she was wearing the tight gym gear. He'd managed to keep his hands to himself — which was more than any of her exes had managed once they'd informed her that they thought she was attractive. Everything about her time with Chance was different.</p><p>As Elin crossed her legs and started unwrapping her hands, Chance sat back up, almost laughing to himself at the great mood he was in — something else that had her softly smiling to herself. He'd come so far, and the happy, relaxed guy she was watching out of the corner of her eyes was absolutely proof that she'd made the right move in Madripoor.</p><p>Maybe he was growing a little after all. He wasn't acting like he had been — even before the dance and the drugs and Jamie. He was definitely changed, and Elin found herself appreciating the changes she could see in him. It gave her a lot to consider.</p><p>Chance took a long drink from the water bottle he'd been using and then looked over at Elin, still in a good mood, and his grin widened. "Let's go on a date," he said, just because he was in a good mood and he might as well ask again.</p><p>"Alright," she said as if she was answering a question about the weather.</p><p>He honestly hadn't been expecting her to agree, seeing as she'd turned him down for weeks now, so it took a moment for the answer to register, and he did an honest double-take as he looked her way… and then broke into a laugh. "Great!" he said, the grin threatening to split his face. "What do you think about a movie?"</p><p>She nodded to herself. "Sounds good."</p><p>"What're you in the mood for?" he asked as he got to his feet and offered her a hand up. "It's summer blockbuster season at the theater if you can give me a minute to get permission from Hank — or we can stay in if you'd rather not deal with the movie theater… y'know. Crowds and smell and stuff."</p><p>She gave him a little smile. "Surprise me," she replied as she started to roll her hand wraps up again.</p><p>He couldn't stop grinning as he nodded, both to her and to himself, before he tossed the water bottle, caught it in one hand, and headed for the door. "I'll come get you in an hour," he said over his shoulder. "Considering the options are dark theater or home movies, pretty sure this isn't a dress-up event, before you ask — but you'll look great no matter what."</p><p>"See you then," she said with a little laugh.</p><p>Chance grinned wider as he headed off to quickly shower and change and then set to work. He knew that Elin and her family weren't exactly fond of movie theaters, especially if they were packed with the blockbuster crowds, so he decided on an old Western that was tried and true and that they both loved growing up when he still thought John Wayne was a real cowboy from the Old West.</p><p>He grabbed the two most comfortable blankets from the linen closet and popped a big bowl of popcorn, then enlisted Charlie's help to clear out a room where they could watch in peace — though about five minutes before he'd told Elin that he was going to come get her, one of the bamfs showed up with some fuzzy, warm bunny slippers that he just had to laugh at and ruffle the little guy's hair.</p><p>"Perfect for a movie night," he told the bamf — Kate's romantic — who grinned up at him, gave him a thumbs up, and teleported away again.</p><p>With everything set up, he was sure to grab a rose from the garden on the way up and then knocked on the door to get Elin with a crooked grin.</p><p>"Ready to go?" she asked. "To where or whatever?"</p><p>"Yep!" He grinned at her and held out the rose and then offered his arm to her once she'd taken it. "I thought we'd stay in for the night. Watch some Clint Eastwood. I'm ninety-five percent sure we even have a bamf making sure no one tries to take over the TV."</p><p>"That sounds great," she agreed before she stepped out with him. "Nice and quiet."</p><p>Chance grinned as he led the way down to the movie room and then got the movie started up before he pulled his own blanket up around his knees and got the popcorn a little closer so they could share, happily grinning at her and glad that she'd finally come around.</p><p>She gave him a little smile and scooted a little closer. "Do you mind if I curl up?"</p><p>He grinned even wider and lifted his arm so she could scoot in. "Mind? Are you kidding?"</p><p>"I have to check," she said. "I know you were screwed around too."</p><p>He blinked at her for a second and then couldn't help but shake his head, the smile turning a bit warmer and less crooked. "You're something else…" he said quietly. "No, I don't mind at all."</p><p>"Good," she replied before she curled in and rested her head on his shoulder. "Tell me if you change your mind."</p><p>Chance couldn't help but laugh at that. "Hate to tell you this, El, but I've pretty much made up my mind about you, so I'm not going anywhere."</p><p>She picked her head up to look at him properly. "You say that now. You don't know." But she settled right back in after that and made herself comfortable.</p><p>He was still shaking his head as he shifted a bit to get comfortable too. "Well, expect an 'I told you so' when I'm still here down the line," he said quietly under the opening music of the movie.</p><p>She reached up and covered his mouth with her hand and shushed him. "It's like you're shouting."</p><p>He grinned around her fingers and, just because he could, reached up and held them there and kissed them. "Okay."</p><p>She smirked at him and shook her head. "Incorrigible."</p><p>"And you agreed to go out with me anyway."</p><p>She smiled a little wider and wrapped her arm across his middle. "I guess I did."</p><p>The two of them settled in after that, but the week had been a rough one. Between all the cramming for finals — and catching up for Chance — and all of the sparring and work in the Danger Room for both of them — both together and separate — it wasn't too long before the old movie had both of them passed out sleeping.</p><p>The bamfs still watched the door — and refused to let anyone in. But it was nearly midnight when Logan finally came through and saw the two of them passed out on the couch, half curled into each other with separate blankets and snow on the television. He didn't wake them or even say a word, since they weren't doing anything too far out of line, and he knew what the deal was with the two of them. And the fact remained that there wasn't a damn thing he could do to change it. So instead, he simply picked up the remote, turned off the television, and told the bamf to keep watch on his way out.</p><hr/><p>The next morning, Chance was surprised to wake up with Elin, since he hadn't actually meant to fall asleep. But now that he <em>was </em>awake, it was hard to ignore how she had her head on his shoulder and one arm across his waist while his arm was draped around her back. He wasn't in that much of a hurry to be awake and go anywhere when his day was starting out <em>like that</em>.</p><p>It was the exact opposite of how he'd felt when he woke up with Krissy, when he thought that it just… hadn't felt right. This… they hadn't even fooled around and all he could think was that he'd be perfectly fine doing exactly this for the rest of pretty much forever.</p><p>When Elin woke up a short while later, she stretched out and then picked up her head slightly to give him a little smile. "Oops. I fell asleep on you."</p><p>"I promise I didn't mind at all," he said, returning her smile in spades. "Besides, I fell asleep too. Guess we were kinda tired."</p><p>She ran her hand through her hair and started to sit up better, though she was sure to lean forward and give him a quick peck. "Good morning."</p><p>"Good morning," he said, the grin threatening to split his face. He stretched out a bit himself and then leaned over and stole a kiss right back. "Coffee?"</p><p>"Mm-hmm. Please," she agreed, still sounding smoky.</p><p>He couldn't stop grinning as he got to his feet and offered her a hand up. "New day, new hour… you have never looked prettier, I'm not even kidding."</p><p>"You've got sleep in your eyes still," she said, brushing back a few loose hairs.</p><p>"I do; you'll probably look even better later," he said, then laughed to himself and picked up the empty popcorn bowl to take back with them to the kitchen. "That was a response, by the way. Doesn't count."</p><p>"I told you: I'm not timing you," she said as they headed toward the kitchen.</p><p>"Yeah, but you have a thing about compliments, and if I drive you away by being too honest about how I feel about you, that's the stupidest way to lose you I've ever heard," Chance said with a little smirk.</p><p>"I'll figure out how to shut you up if I need to," Elin said. "How about that?"</p><p>Chance tipped his head to consider her, stopping at the door to the kitchen. "Well, if that's your feeling on it," he said slowly, "then I hope you're ready to reap the consequences, because I can't get over how amazing you are."</p><p>She smiled and shook her head before she gestured toward the kitchen. "Come on, Romeo … we need something." They stepped into the kitchen, and before Chance could even look around, Elin broke the ice. "Good morning, Annie. I'm sorry I kept him out. We crashed on the couch."</p><p>Chance spun around to see that his mom was, in fact, working up some Sunday morning pancakes, though she didn't look bothered in the least as she smiled their way. "It's alright," she said. "You both looked tired, and I didn't want to disturb you; do you want maple or raspberry syrup?"</p><p>Elin gave her a little smile. "You're awesome," she said. "I was a lot more tired than I thought." She shook her head to both options for food as she made her way to get some coffee for both of them. "Can I help?"</p><p>Annie smiled lightly and shook her head. "No, but thank you for the offer," she said. "I've already got a few pancakes made; why don't you two wake up and I'll just keep on doin' my thing."</p><p>Chance stared between the two of them for a moment before he grabbed a couple plates and then stacked the pancakes on them as his smile crept back into place. "Thanks, Mom."</p><p>Elin made her way over to the table with the coffee and simply sat down as if this was just … everyday life. Which really had Chance grinning that much wider as he sat down beside her and slid her a plate, unable to stop smiling at her the whole time.</p><p>"Okay, I'm sitting by you this morning," Charlie said with a smirk as she arrived to breakfast as well.</p><p>Elin glanced up at the clock and frowned. "Have Mom and Dad been through?"</p><p>"No, they decided to spend the day in the boathouse," Annie said easily. "Your brother is watching the girls. Malin has him cornered with nail polish. It's darling."</p><p>"She's been on a makeover kick lately," Elin said with a nod.</p><p>"Threatened to dye my hair green with Sharpies," Chance said with a little smirk. "Someone told her to ask for bigger things than you want first…"</p><p>"Huh," Elin said as she picked up her coffee. "Wonder where she got that."</p><p>Chance grinned at her and then leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I'm just saying: if you see me sporting Michael hair one day, I blame you."</p><p>She turned his way with a smile. "I wouldn't be the one to cave, though. And green is not your color. Don't let her do that."</p><p>"Hey, Michael looks good in that, and we're related…" he pointed out with a small smile, too happy to catch the reference to his almost-Hydra stint.</p><p>"You're much better in blues and red," she said.</p><p>He couldn't stop grinning at her as he nodded along. "I won't argue that one."</p><p>"He won't argue anything right now," Charlie muttered under her breath, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Elin over the top of her mug.</p><p>Elin looked up at her and watched her for a few moments, though she didn't really respond more than to raise an eyebrow her way.</p><p>"So what do you think, El — want to go riding later today? We can finish homework when we get back," Chance said after a long moment.</p><p>"I should probably see how bad off James is first, but I think that sounds like a good use of a Sunday."</p><p>"Great," he said. "I'll meet you in the barn."</p><p>Elin finished up her coffee and got up to check on things with her younger siblings, quick to grab her plate before Chance could manage it — because she knew he would. She got a refill on her coffee and a hug from Annie before she headed up, sure that she was going to see a disaster when she got to the suite. But on her way down the hall, she was interrupted by a couple of the Wagner kids who were just starting to get moving right.</p><p>"Who sugared up Kade this early?" Elin asked Krissy before she waved her over to join her. "I have to see if Malin has James coated in nail polish. And maybe help her if she doesn't."</p><p>"I have some polish with sparkles in it," Krissy said with a little smile.</p><p>"Sounds fabulous," Elin agreed. "But you should bring coffee too. This might take a while. And Annie has pancakes downstairs."</p><p>Krissy grinned at that and nodded. "I think I will."</p><p>"Mama and Krissy can't do nothing without coffee," Kade giggled.</p><p>"And you'll be the same way when you get to be a bigger Elf," Elin pointed out.</p><p>Kade giggled at her. "Maybe," he said.</p><p>"Pay attention mini-elf," Elin said, crouching down to boop his nose. "Your papa can't get up in the morning without coffee either."</p><p>"I do pay attention," Kade giggled. "My papa can't get up in the morning without kisses. You got it wrong."</p><p>"Kisses and coffee," she said before she set her mug down on the floor and scooped him up to give him the kisses and tickle routine.</p><p>Kade starting laughing madly as he tried to get away from Elin, grinning and giggling and squirming until she finally let up and he was still giggling intermittently as he tried to get himself under control. "You are gonna be the same way," he said through his giggles. "Kisses and tea for you!"</p><p>"I already am that way," Elin said. "Why do you think I had to kiss you? I already had some coffee … it was time for kisses."</p><p>"Well, how come you gotta kiss me?" Kade grumbled.</p><p>"Have you seen yourself?" Elin said. "You're adorable."</p><p>Kade giggled. "I mean, I am, but you already kissed Chance and I don't wanna buncha kisses!"</p><p>"How do you know if I've kissed anyone today?" Elin asked, though she was shaking her head at him as she got back to her feet.</p><p>"Because I know things from my little friends and I know you guys were sleeping together and you're gonna be in trouble!"</p><p>She shook her head and smiled at him. "I'm not in trouble," Elin said. "If I was, Dad would be after me. And he's not."</p><p>Kade wrinkled his nose. "Not Chance?" he asked with his head tipped to the side.</p><p>"He's not in trouble either," Elin said. "At least not with Dad. His dad … maybe."</p><p>Kade giggled madly. "If you say so," he said. "But I wanna see if you get in trouble."</p><p>"I'm not in trouble," Elin said with a laugh as she reached over to ruffle his hair up.</p><p>"O-kay," Kade said before Krissy rolled her eyes and grabbed Kade.</p><p>"Come on, you goober," she said. "Let's get you breakfast before you start spreading rumors."</p><hr/><p>"Hey, I let myself in — I need a new subject for my art project for finals and I'm out of good pictures," Kari said as she peeked into James' room.</p><p>James pushed back from the laptop. "Be my guest. I was just screwing around with a new design. Kind of irritated with it, honestly."</p><p>"What's up with it?" Kari asked as she slipped into James' unoccupied seat.</p><p>James shook his head and dropped down onto his bed. "It's more of an assignment. And I don't get many of those. Stark told me to try to break into his coding. And it's not a simple matter of just breaking the code. You have to make a whole system to keep the pathways open once you start cracking through them."</p><p>"He thinks you can't do it, and you know you can," Kari surmised.</p><p>"No, he thinks I can and he's pushing me," James said. "And I don't wanna. He's just trying to phrase it like he thinks I can't."</p><p>Kari laughed as she opened up his picture files. "I'm going to get you one of those motivational cat posters about pushing yourself to put up in your lab and see how long it takes you to use it as a dartboard," she teased.</p><p>"Thirty seconds — after I draw Stark's goatee on it," James countered as he dropped onto his bed, looking at his freshly painted glittery red nails, courtesy of his little sister.</p><p>She laughed again at that and then paused when she saw the new folder in the images with Vanessa's name on it and, out of curiosity, opened it up. She was surprised to see how… artsy the pictures were. She looked gorgeous in every single one, and it was obvious that the guy behind the camera was aware of it.</p><p>"Oh wow," Kari breathed out.</p><p>James turned his head and then dropped it back onto his pillow. "You'd have to ask her if you could use those."</p><p>"They're beautiful, James," she said softly. "Is this how you see her?"</p><p>He sat up and sort of shrugged. "I mean … apparently."</p><p>"James…" She shook her head lightly and then teleported over to him to hug him. "You're amazing," she said.</p><p>"You throw that word around a lot," James said, though he hugged her back.</p><p>"I do, but I mean it," she said, grinning at him before she teleported back to her seat. "I won't use them now, but would you ask her if it would be okay? They're beautiful. The lighting alone…"</p><p>"Yeah, sure," James said, nodding.</p><p>Kari smiled lightly at him and then turned back to the images folder to look through all of them. "I love them, really."</p><p>"Don't know if you're looking for portraits, or landscapes … macro …"</p><p>"I'm not sure, either. It's up to me what to do for the project, and I'm using charcoal…"</p><p>"So black and white would be easiest to start from," he summed up before he came over to reach past her and help her find a better set of options. "If you don't see anything you want, give me an idea and I can see if I can pull something out of my hat."</p><p>Kari nodded as they looked through the different options — though she grinned when she found one that James had snapped of Krissy and Sying dancing on the ceiling that clearly they hadn't known he took. "Unless you were going to surprise them with that when, like, they get married …"</p><p>"No, I'm sure I can come up with something better than a half-focused snapshot for that," James said.</p><p>She grinned. "Awesome. I'm stealing it, then."</p><p>"Can't steal it if I'm giving it to you," he said, smiling back at her. "I mean, you can try. But it totally loses your street cred when ... you know … I'm giving you whichever ones you want."</p><p>Kari just laughed at him. "Just gimmie the picture," she said, shoving his shoulder. "Black and white, pretty please."</p><p>"Any others?" he asked before he started to load up the printer with the photopaper. "You know how to get them."</p><p>"Maybe after the end of the semester," Kari said. She got to her feet and snagged the picture from him when it came out of the printer. "Thanks. You're the best."</p><p>"Anytime," he promised. "I'm not changing the password, so even if I'm not here … go for it."</p><p>Kari grinned. "I'll always 'port outside the door if, you know, you ever put a sock on it," she couldn't help but tease. "She's very pretty, James."</p><p>"Oh, man … yeah… not here. Ever."</p><p>Kari giggled at him and started making chicken noises as she headed for the door.</p><p>"I'm sure you're lining your sweetheart up to try and sneak by <em>your </em>parents," James said, arms crossed.</p><p>"Are you kidding? Harry's dad would know before we even decided where we were meeting up!"</p><p>"Uh huh," he said. "Which isn't too different than my parents."</p><p>Kari grinned at him. "Yes, but she's so beautiful, James. And if that's how you really see her…" She zipped over and kissed his cheek. "I'm just teasing you. But I'm really glad you have someone wonderful in your life. You're my best friend, and I like seeing you smile."</p><p>James gave her a smile at that. "Thanks, we'll probably be around more during the summer since … I did work that into my deal with Stark. He's on his own over the summer."</p><p>"Oh good," Kari said with a grin. "We don't have any big plans for a while after our annual beach trip, and I need someone around to throw popcorn at our respective big sisters."</p><p>"They are kind of asking for it," James agreed.</p><p>"They're ridiculous, and I honestly don't know which of them is going to get married first," Kari said perfectly seriously.</p><p>"I haven't seen Elin and Chance lately, so I don't have a good measure."</p><p>"That might be the measure itself," Kari pointed out.</p><p>James almost winced. "See … I don't know. She's not totally sold on it."</p><p>"She's been kicked a lot," Kari agreed.</p><p>"Dad says she's a lot like Mom," James said. "So … I hope Chance is patient."</p><p>"He's not, but he's also stubborn, so…" Kari smiled. "I should work on some kind of painting of the two of them."</p><p>"Awkward."</p><p>"It'll be sweet," Kari said. "And capture that face he makes when he looks at her…. And the one she makes when she catches him…"</p><p>"I can probably do that — catch him — but she's the hard one to catch, really."</p><p>"Then I challenge you to it," Kari said. "That is your present to me come summer for my birthday."</p><p>"You're on," James said.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Let's Celebrate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which our kids are making very good strides!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Finals were upon them, and everyone was buzzing trying to finish up last minute projects and cram for tests. Elin had given up entirely on trying to do any more last minute work, fully convinced that she was either going to be able to do it or she wasn't — and there was no reason in her mind to stress herself out like crazy on something she could very well screw up anyhow.</p><p>But that didn't mean that actually taking the tests wasn't a little stressful. While the rest of the staff of Xaviers ran their finals tests, Elin went to Annie's classroom on her one day that she wasn't assisting another class to watch for cheaters or troublemakers and quietly sat down at the desk closest to Annie's to go through the necessary tests in an attempt to skip her senior year.</p><p>Of course, Annie was as warm and engaging as always, reassuring her that if she wasn't ready, there was no way she'd have gotten let her take it — before she checked the clock and let Elin get started.</p><p>It took the better part of the day, and the two of them worked right through lunch, since she was so close to the end at that point anyhow. So when Elin finally finished, Annie gave her a warm smile.</p><p>"I'll be able to tell you for sure by tomorrow. I just have to read through this last one," Annie told her before she gave her a little hug and sent her on her way.</p><p>Elin blew out all of her breath and spun on her toes as she headed toward the pool. There were still a few tests left for the day, but … she wasn't taking them, and she knew that eventually, Krissy would be out by the pool, so she decided that was probably the best spot to hang out while she waited for the others to finish up.</p><p>But to her surprise, it was Chance that got out there first instead of Krissy, in a pretty good mood as he sat down across from her, dangling his feet in the water. "So. I'm all graduated. How 'bout you?" he said as casually as he could, but it was clear he was pleased, especially after all the work he'd put in.</p><p>"I have to wait for your mom to finish up," she said. "But ... congratulations."</p><p>He grinned at her and leaned forward to steal a kiss. "I'm sure you did great."</p><p>"Well, knowing your mom, she overshot how long it will take her to tell me," Elin said. "Unless, of course, I screwed up; then, she'll drag it out."</p><p>"So we'll probably know in, like, an hour," Chance said with a smile, letting his feet trail through the water. "We should celebrate," he said suddenly.</p><p>"We should. You at the very least," she agreed. "What do you want to do?"</p><p>Chance's grin widened even more. "I was thinking… maybe we could park the Shanghai up in the clouds and have some ice cream or I could make something. I've got some excess energy to burn off anyway, and Mom's been making me spend it in the kitchen instead of in the gym at least until finals were over so I didn't, you know, fall asleep during a test."</p><p>"Smart move," Elin said, nodding. "But you're the graduate — your call."</p><p>"Then… I'll see what I can put together," Chance decided. "I'm done with school, and I want to treat a gorgeous girl to dinner in the clouds."</p><p>She smiled and shook her head at him. "Well, let me know when you're done," she laughed.</p><p>"I'll be in the Shanghai," Chance said. "Kitchen in there, and it's better fresh-made. Come find me when Mom tells you you made it."</p><p>"That might be tomorrow," she pointed out.</p><p>"Then… come find me in two hours," he said. "I'll be there."</p><p>She shook her head again and gave him a quick kiss. "Go burn off your energy."</p><p>He grinned at her. "See you soon."</p><p>Chance disappeared quickly after that, though as Elin sat out waiting and just sort of thinking, it wasn't long before her earlier prediction came true and she was joined by a bamf and her best friend.</p><p>"Oh my gosh, I have to do that for a whole 'nother year; I am insanely jealous of you right now," Krissy said as she flopped into the chair beside Elin.</p><p>"You … don't know that I passed yet," Elin said as she turned her way. "I have to wait to see what Annie says."</p><p>"Oh, then you'll find out soon," Krissy said, turning over to grin at Elin. "Sying's taking me out later," she said.</p><p>"Chance wants to do the same," Elin said. "Kind of."</p><p>"Kind of?" Krissy said, wrinkling her nose. "Either he's taking you out on a date or he isn't, Ellie. I think you'd know the difference by now."</p><p>"He's taking us up in the ship for dinner," Elin said. "So .. kind of."</p><p>Krissy grinned broadly. "That's so sweet!"</p><p>"Well, it is coming from the Sweet Summers, so … not shocked."</p><p>"That's just …" Krissy grinned, her tail swaying behind her and betraying how pleased she was. "I love you two."</p><p>"You're so dramatic," Elin said. "So … where are you two lovebirds going? Dinner and a kissing session? Do I need to ask your intentions with my nephew?"</p><p>Krissy flushed a bit purple and let out a little giggle. "Don't worry; we're still working on the kissing thing."</p><p>"I know," Elin said, smiling at her friend. "You'll get there."</p><p>"I've stopped freezing up on him," she said, perking up with her ears a little higher and everything.</p><p>"See? Progress." She leaned forward and let out a sigh before she gestured to the pool. "If the water was warmer, I'd take a swim."</p><p>"Yeah… I know where there's some warmer water," Krissy said. "And if you weren't about to get cooked for by the Sweet Summers…. Maybe later? After our boys are romantic with us."</p><p>"I'm not interested in your oceanfront view," Elin said.</p><p>"Okay, but Sying's excited for the annual Australia trip, and I think I might even try to make out with him. And since he's your nephew, I'm warning you now, so if you have to do some kind of honor thing…" Krissy teased.</p><p>"I think you're fine," Elin said with a wave. "I'm only worried about if it falls apart, and I don't think that's the case, sooo …."</p><p>Krissy grinned at that and then leaned back in her chair with her hands behind her head. "I love this," she said happily. "All of it."</p><p>"That's because you're both romantic and dramatic," Elin replied.</p><p>"Yes, yes, I am."</p><p>"So … maybe we can go pick out what to wear together, since we're just killing time, right?"</p><p>Krissy beamed at that and then teleported them both to Elin's room. "Let's find you something cute," she said, already diving into Elin's closet without really being asked.</p><p>Which was where Annie found the two of them when, as predicted, she couldn't wait any longer and came up to tell Elin that she'd passed. "Congratulations!" she called out happily, wrapping Elin up in a hug as soon as she arrived.</p><p>"You're kidding," Elin said, shaking her head at her.</p><p>Annie beamed at her. "Would I kid you about this? You're a high school graduate, Elin!"</p><p>Elin gave her a smile and then wrapped her up in another hug. "Thank you for all the help."</p><p>"I'm so proud of you," Annie said warmly.</p><p>"I love you too," Elin said with a little smile.</p><p>Annie beamed and then kissed Elin's forehead. "Seriously, congratulations."</p><p>"So now what?" Elin asked.</p><p>"Now, you celebrate," Annie said with a smile. "I'd have made something, but Chance said he had plans, so I didn't — and you know that makes me crazy, so feel free to hit him if it's lackluster, and I'll make you something wonderful."</p><p>"Well, compared to what you do, I'll have to knock him around a little, I'm sure," Elin giggled. "But just a little."</p><p>Annie just smiled at that and hugged her one more time. "Oh, I love you," she said. "Have fun — both of you," she said Krissy's way before she went off to go find Scott to share her good mood.</p><p>Elin turned toward Krissy with an open-mouthed expression. "Okay then. We've been given permission to have fun."</p><p>Krissy started to giggle as she held up a dress and tossed it to Elin. "You got permission from his mom," she laughed. "Go knock him dead. You both deserve it."</p><p>"I think he's still waiting for Dad to strangle him from the other night," Elin said.</p><p>"And yet he's still dating you. Brave, brave soul," Krissy said in her most dramatic tones.</p><p>Elin couldn't help but chuckle. "And what about you? Are you going to take that purple dress in the back already or should I just give it to Goodwill?"</p><p>"Um, no, excuse you, it looks amazing on me," Krissy said. "Mine."</p><p>Elin gestured with both hands. "Then we can get dressed together, right? Or is your evening not complete without little brothers in your face?"</p><p>Krissy laughed. "Between the romantic trying to ask when we're going to start wearing rings and the troublemaker asking if Papa's going to murder him?"</p><p>"Well, that's because one of them wants to be a ring bearer," Elin pointed out. "So get on that."</p><p>Krissy laughed. "We're not old enough for that," she said.</p><p>"Didn't stop him from pushing before!"</p><p>Krissy just kept shaking her head at Elin before she 'ported over to kiss her friend's cheek. "Have fun with yours."</p><p>"Same to you," she replied. "Try not to break him."</p><p>"Same to you," Krissy teased before she disappeared in a poof of purple.</p><p>Elin shook her head at her friend and then finished getting ready, though she took a moment longer than necessary to straighten up her dress. It was a cute one, that was for sure, but she simply hadn't <em>worn </em>one since the fall formal, and the little yellow sundress was a far cry from the bluejeans she'd been frequenting in the past … six months. And she wasn't entirely comfortable, if she was being honest.</p><p>She took a moment to fix her hair — sure to use the gold hair clip Chance had given her for her birthday — before she slipped her heels on and stepped out. Her mother was fixing Malin's braids; she'd pulled them out during class and then gotten angry when she couldn't braid them as well as K did.</p><p>"Congratulations, smarty pants," K said a moment before Malin started clapping for Elin.</p><p>"I'm so glad you're not the only smart one," Malin said. "James can't … he <em>can't </em>be the only smart one, and I don't <em>like </em>school."</p><p>"No one really does," Elin promised before she took a seat and started to help get Malin braided up evenly. "I won't be out all night." She felt as if she had to say it, though she wasn't really expecting her mother to simply shrug it off.</p><p>"I know you're not stupid," K said. "Have fun. Don't be stupid and we'll be just fine."</p><p>"Yeah, I doubt that's going to be an issue," she said before she tied off Malin's braid, gave both of them a quick kiss, and then headed out the door. She tried to avoid people on her way to the hangar, where Chance and the <em>Shanghai </em>were apparently ready to go.</p><p>He broke out into a grin when he saw her. "You look great!" he said as he hopped down from the <em>Shanghai </em>to head over to her.</p><p>"Not too much?" Elin asked.</p><p>Chance grinned and shook his head. "No, I don't think so — but then, I kind of think you look amazing in anything? So I might not be the right person to ask."</p><p>"So," she said as she came to a stop. "I saw your mom."</p><p>"And?" Chance prompted, leaning forward a bit.</p><p>She smiled crookedly and shrugged both shoulders up. "I passed."</p><p>Chance's smile widened before he picked her up and spun her around with a laugh. "Knew it!" he said before he simply kissed her before her feet could touch the ground — while she was still at a height he wouldn't have to bend.</p><p>"So … I guess we're doing … whatever you have in mind," she said.</p><p>"Well, I was thinking we could just park up in the clouds… it's colder at higher altitudes, so I totally stole my mom's chili recipe," he explained with a smile.</p><p>"Sounds like a solid plan," she said, taking his arm. "Lead the way."</p><p>Chance grinned the whole time as they climbed into the <em>Shanghai</em>, and as he'd said, once they got to a decent altitude, the ship opened up a latch at the top so they could climb out and sit on top of it high above everything and everyone else with the picnic beside them of chili and cornbread.</p><p>"So, how's it feel to be <em>done</em>?" Chance asked with a grin.</p><p>"It's kind of a relief," she said. "As I'm sure you know."</p><p>"Well, yeah, but I was looking forward to graduating all year, and you did it early," Chance pointed out, still grinning at her. "'Course, that makes sense. I've never known you to do anything but defy expectations."</p><p>She had to chuckle at him, grinning all the while. "You … are a flatterer."</p><p>"Hey, you're the one that said no more hour timing on the compliments, so remember how you brought this on yourself?"</p><p>"I also said I'd get you to stop on my own if it was too much," Elin pointed out.</p><p>"You did, and you haven't, so you must like it," he teased.</p><p>"I'll just wait until we're not perched on top of a spaceship," she said, still smiling at him.</p><p>"Good to know. I'll make a note for the future — always go high altitude if I want to get away with nonsense," he said, nodding along seriously but already chuckling.</p><p>"At least you can admit that it's nonsense," she said, laughing along with him.</p><p>He shook his head at that and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Uh-huh. Sure it is."</p><p>"Hey, you said it, Sweet Summers."</p><p>"Yes, I see my mistake now," he said, nodding seriously. "And you'll remember that one and not the five hundred times I tell you how gorgeous you are, inside and out."</p><p>"I remember all of it," she said. "I just like to point out when you contradict yourself and accidentally agree with me."</p><p>Chance couldn't help but laugh. "At least you know it's an accident," he teased. He leaned back a bit on his elbows and then finally let out a breath that he could see in front of him. "Alright. Sun's setting and I love the view and all, but it's getting cold. You ready to head in?"</p><p>"Sure," she agreed. "No reason to let you get half-frozen."</p><p>"Hey, I lived in Canada during the winter; kinda used to it," he couldn't help but tease even as he gathered up a few things.</p><p>"You know, I'm going to have to take you up to the <em>rustic </em>cave mom has hidden away by Alaska," Elin said.</p><p>Chance paused and then flat-out grinned Elin's way. "Yeah?"</p><p>"There's no heat, no water, and the door is hidden by freakin' shrubbery."</p><p>Chance couldn't help but laugh. "Is this a date or a survival course?" he teased.</p><p>"How is that different?" Elin asked with a frown, doing her best, most earnest expression.</p><p>"Well," Chance said slowly as he tapped on the <em>Shanghai </em>to get her to open up a space for them to come back down, "one involves hugs for the sake of hugs, and the other involves desperate heat-hugs — and one of these is more fun than the other."</p><p>She tipped her head. "Both could be fun depending on the circumstances."</p><p>He just laughed at her as he gave her a hand down and then hopped down himself. "You're insane, El, and I love it."</p><p>"I'm just curious on the details, that's all," she defended.</p><p>He was still shaking his head at her as they headed to the galley so he could put away the picnic supplies. "Well, if I'm curling up with the girl I've liked since as long as I can remember, I want it to be because I want to curl up with said girl — not because I'm gonna <em>die</em>."</p><p>"I didn't mean I was going to give you a practical test on it," Elin said, still doing her best to look serious. "Unless that's what you're angling for."</p><p>He stopped and turned her way for a moment with his mouth slightly parted. "Look, I — you can't — don't do things like that to me," he sputtered.</p><p>"Like what?" Elin asked, moving right into innocent.</p><p>"That — that thing you do where you talk me into a corner and there's no way out without either sounding like an idiot or a skeeze when I'm trying to be — come on, El."</p><p>"I'm sorry," she said, smiling up at him. "It was just … sitting there. Waiting for me."</p><p>He shook his head at her. "I mean, you know I wouldn't say no to going out with you again. Anywhere. You wanna go up to the middle of nowhere and build a fire in a cave, I'm sold — just warn me up front so I don't die of hypothermia before I even get to appreciate the date."</p><p>"I would <em>never </em>let you die of hypothermia," she promised.</p><p>"Oh, good, just a couple toes then," he couldn't help but tease.</p><p>"I wouldn't take you up there in the winter like she did," Elin said with a laugh.</p><p>"Even better; that's much more reasonable," Chance said, grinning at her. "So, when should we go? We got all summer."</p><p>"Have to see if we can get time off at the same time," Elin pointed out. "Team stuff … Tokyo .."</p><p>"Well, Mom and Dad are going out of town start of summer… Tokyo's… when, little bit after that?"</p><p>"I think so," she said, nodding.</p><p>"So we spend a few weeks manning the fort while everyone plays and then take a well-deserved break," Chance said. "I can claim cabin fever if you think it'd help," he added with a crooked, teasing smirk.</p><p>"Do you think you need to add fictional diseases to get your way?"</p><p>"Hey, the way Hank's been halfway watching for me to bolt since last month? Maybe. Besides, it's not that fictional," he admitted, shrugging his shoulders up. "I mean, I haven't really <em>gone </em>anywhere. In a long time."</p><p>"So you're telling me you need to sate your wanderlust."</p><p>"I like it. Yes. That," he agreed, nodding along. "I still haven't gone out with the team since the whole disaster, and I gotta say, I miss the far-away places."</p><p>"We should get you out, then," she agreed. "I think you're overdue."</p><p>He nodded thoughtfully and then grinned at her. "Of course… I'm fine doing the wanderlust thing just you and me in the meantime." The grin turned a bit more crooked. "I mean… best view in the world right here."</p><p>She tipped her head for just an instant — before she took a slow step forward, pulled him closer and took her time kissing the sense right out of him. "Stop that."</p><p>He blinked at her in surprise as he clearly couldn't even form a word to argue against her - and then just nodded and leaned in to kiss her again.</p><hr/><p>Charlie was in a good mood as she headed down to the music room to meet up with James. She'd been asking him to help her fine tune Amy for a while now, and he'd finally agreed to meet up with her. And on top of that, she and Gerry were driving up to NYU so he could help her walk her schedule for the summer semester — so it was shaping up to be a pretty good day.</p><p>When she got there, James and Vanessa were sitting at the piano and working through one of her more complicated pieces slowly. "You're late, Charlie," Vanessa called out.</p><p>Charlie couldn't help but smirk at that. "I thought I was on time!"</p><p>Vanessa smiled as she slowly shook her head. "Not quite. Is there a reason? Phone call run over?"</p><p>"Printing out my class schedule," Charlie admitted with a smile. "Gerry and I are headed up to campus after lunch."</p><p>The pair at the piano shared a quick look and simply kept going without pressing that angle of the subject. "So you're doing summer classes," James said, playing along with Charlie's 'focus' on school.</p><p>Charlie nodded. "I'm aiming to do sort of what Leslie Ann did. Fast track to a PhD… except not in botany," she added with a little smile. "In psychiatry…. Or psychology. I keep going back and forth between the two."</p><p>"Well, one is more long term work than the other," James pointed out. "Do you like trying to psychoanalyze people?"</p><p>"I just want to understand the 'why' behind all the feelings I get from people," Charlie admitted. "And I think it's the best way I can help."</p><p>"Maybe communications would be better," James teased.</p><p>Charlie laughed and shook her head. "You and I both know people don't always <em>know </em>what they're feeling or why."</p><p>He shrugged and kept plinking away, smirking to himself just before he'd purposely hit a wrong note to get a frustrated little huff out of Vanessa.</p><p>"So," Charlie said as she sat down nearby and pulled out the leather pouch where she kept Amy. "I think we could fine-tune it on the broader searches. It's perfect on low settings, but I can't just… search the globe for a missing person on this thing."</p><p>James stopped playing and turned her way, letting out a sigh as she handed him the device and listened to everything Charlie had to say — then he simply snapped it in half.</p><p>For a moment, Charlie simply froze in abject horror before she was on her feet and red-faced. "You <em>lunatic</em>!" She snatched the broken pendant back, her eyes wide. "Do you know — why would you—"</p><p>"Charlie," James said calmly before he produced a box from his pocket and held it out to her. "Cleaner version. I already made as many adjustments as the design could handle. I'm working on one now that will make it so you can personalize the search. It'll have two different groups of settings. One that you can 'feel' the person you're after so you can go big without hurting yourself." He shook the box slightly. "I just had to think about how to fix it. And the old design can't do it as is."</p><p>Charlie stared at James for a moment, her eyes still slightly wide as she had to come down from the freakout, before she took a deep breath and shook her head. "Holy crap, James — I thought you had destroyed it."</p><p>"I did," James said. "But it wasn't the only one."</p><p>Charlie nodded and sat down to open the box and take out the pendant inside, examining it with a slowly growing smile. "You've been working on it this whole time?"</p><p>"No," he said, shaking his head. "Just the past few weeks or so. Like I said: I had to think about it."</p><p>Charlie started to laugh as she shook her head and then slid over to give James a solid hug. "If you ever scare me like that again, I swear I'll knock you into next week."</p><p>"Hey. I promised I would never work on that thing again," James said. "So… I didn't." He gave her a tight squeeze back. "And I'd like to see you try."</p><p>Charlie shook her head at him and then looked to Vanessa. "You'd help me, wouldn't you, Vanessa?"</p><p>"Oh, I absolutely would," she said, and as soon as Charlie was back from him even a little bit, she punched him hard in the arm. "That was <em>terrible."</em></p><p>"No one ever shakes her up — and you need to loosen up too," James defended.</p><p>"He's just <em>like </em>this," Charlie said with a sigh as she rolled her eyes.</p><p>"I know. You should see the things he and Mr. Stark pull on each other," Vanessa said, shaking her head. "I'm surprised anything gets done."</p><p>"They're both, like, <em>five</em>," Charlie agreed, smirking to herself.</p><p>"Are you doing the rest of your adjustments yourself, then?" James asked.</p><p>Charlie rolled her eyes at that but scooted over to give him her best smile. "No, of course not. Please help, oh smart one," she teased in her sweetest tones.</p><p>"I guess I better for now," James said. "I'm pretty sick of building stuff. I think I gotta do something else."</p><p>"Should I feel used?" Charlie teased over James' shoulder toward Vanessa.</p><p>"He really hasn't been making much new stuff," Vanessa said.</p><p>Charlie nodded. "Then I'm happy to help alleviate the boredom," she said, then hopped to her feet and gave James a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks. Seriously. This means the <em>world </em>to me."</p><p>"Enjoy it," James said. "I'm not planning to make another one like it."</p><p>"No, I'm sure the next one will be even cooler," Charlie said with a little laugh as she headed out.</p><p>"Try to keep your hands off the Hawk!" James called out.</p><p>"It's just a campus tour!" she called back.</p><p>"Sure it is," James said, though he was sure Charlie couldn't hear him.</p><p>Charlie was still shaking her head at James as she headed to the garage to meet up with Gerry, who couldn't help but smile at her. "You're in a good mood," he said.</p><p>She held up the pendant box in one hand with a smile. "Amy: Mark II."</p><p>"No kidding?"</p><p>She grinned. "He's been working on it for a few weeks."</p><p>Gerry laughed. "Of course he has," he said as they climbed into the car. "So... most of your classes are spread out because freshman year sucks when you don't have the Dynamic McCoy Duo making sure you knock out all your generals early."</p><p>"So I'm not gaining the freshman fifteen with all the walking I'll be doing, is what you're saying," she said with a smile.</p><p>"Yeah, but the ten-minute class breaks you've scheduled for yourself-"</p><p>"Hey, I like being home and having all the classes done by mid-afternoon," she pointed out.</p><p>"Yeah, okay, but when I find you asleep on the sidewalk with your backpack for a pillow…"</p><p>"You won't."</p><p>"Uh-huh."</p><p>Charlie rolled her eyes at him. "Just drive, Sunshine."</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Unwanted Visitors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the Canadians are terrible.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Now that the semester had ended, most of the kids were enjoying the quieter feeling around the mansion for those who stayed over the break.</p><p>Scott and Annie had headed off for a well-deserved vacation — just the two of them — and all looked to be pretty peaceful with Logan and K handling the big job of holding down the fort. Sying's little brother and Krissy were basically running a small pool party, and Chance and Elin had just come in from a trail ride that had turned into a race that ended with Chance sweeping her off of her horse once they'd both crossed the finish line simply to steal a kiss — so they were in high spirits as well.</p><p>So with Scott out, Logan was the one who got the alert when someone tried to get in the gate. He stood up and gave the kids nearest him the word to gather up and stay in the house. Usually, if there was no ill intent, people could come and go, so this only meant whoever it was had to be looking for a fight.</p><p>Logan lit a cigar on his way out of the house and walked leisurely down to the gate, sure to look relaxed, particularly when he saw the group wearing white and red maple leaves. "Enrollment's closed," Logan rumbled as he approached the gate, stopping a few yards in front of it.</p><p>"Yeah, we're not here for that," the tallest boy in the group said. "We all already graduated anyway. Obviously."</p><p>Logan stopped, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his cigar. "Is that what they give out instead of caps these days?" he asked, gesturing at their bright uniforms before he blew a lungful of smoke slowly out of his nose.</p><p>"No," the only girl in the group said with a spark of fire at her fingertips.</p><p>"Well," Logan said, tipping his head and taking another slow pull. "We ain't buyin' girl scout cookies."</p><p>"We're not selling," the boy who was clearly the team leader said, trying to look professional even though the brother-sister duo on his team was anything but. "We're here to pick up our teammate."</p><p>Logan took another slow step closer and looked up at the kid before he blew the smoke into his face in a steady stream. "No."</p><p>"Gonna have to hear it from him," the girl drawled out.</p><p>Logan smirked and tipped his chin toward them. "Who do you <em>think </em>is on your team?"</p><p>"You're kidding, right?" the shortest boy asked; he was the youngest of the group and looked the most like he was <em>excited </em>to be on a mission. The leader looked tired, and the brother and sister looked angry. "You <em>know </em>Chance Summers signed on."</p><p>"I didn't hear," Logan replied easily as he bit down on the cigar between his teeth. "Got any proof?"</p><p>"You mean besides the fact that he was going out with Alpha Flight since last fall?" the girl shot back.</p><p>"<em>Was </em>— that really don't mean squat, junior," Logan said. "I mean <em>proof.</em> Something concrete and a little more weighty than a buncha teenagers ready for the circus."</p><p>The girl stepped forward with her eyes flashing, but her team leader held her shoulder and looked toward Logan. "He signed on — I mean an actual contract," he said.</p><p>"Got the papers?" Logan asked. "And do they mean a damn thing on this side of the border?"</p><p>"I don't just carry contracts around with me, but if you ask him, he'll tell you he signed it too," the team leader said.</p><p>"Well, I'm askin' you — who seems to think a maple leaf is enough to cross country lines and enforce your 'contract'."</p><p>"We're just here to get him," the team leader said. "He's been gone for months."</p><p>"No." Logan simply shook his head and took another easy pull on the cigar, one thumb through a belt loop on his jeans.</p><p>"Let's hear it from him," the girl said.</p><p>Logan grinned her way crookedly. "You trying to set terms on me? Really."</p><p>"I'm saying I want to hear it from him."</p><p>"And I'm saying I don't give a crap what you want. No. Get lost."</p><p>"Well, we're not going anywhere without him," the taller boy put in.</p><p>"Then I hope you like camping," Logan said as he turned to head back to the house.</p><p>The team leader shook his head. "Can we talk with him please?" he asked, stepping in front of the girl again.</p><p>Logan stopped and turned back to look at the leader, sizing him up for a long moment before he walked back over to the gate to talk low to the kid. "You know it's not gonna make a bit of difference, right?"</p><p>The kid nodded slowly. "I still need to talk to him."</p><p>Logan narrowed his eyes slightly, obviously not liking something that he was catching from the group before he pulled out his phone to send a quick text to Chance. He held up the hand with the cigar toward the little team, and while he was waiting, he called Mac.</p><p>He'd specifically told Chance to take his time coming down, so he leaned against the stone arch of the gate as he waited for Mac to pick up. "Hey, Mac — you didn't send a bunch of teenyboppers down here all hopped up on boost to pick up Chance, did you?" Logan asked, still watching the most reasonable kid out of the group.</p><p>"No, I did not, why?" Mac asked, and it was clear that he was irritated. "Are they down there?"</p><p>"Hudson, I swear. You have the worst luck keepin' track of your teams," Logan muttered before he looked up at the kid in charge. "Who the hell're you supposed to be?"</p><p>"Alpha Flight," the kid said as if this was obvious.</p><p>Logan grinned and shook his head with a laugh as Mac on the other end of the phone paused, then asked very low, "Logan, what are you doing?"</p><p>"Shush," Logan said into the phone before raising his voice for the group. "I've seen the news once or twice. "I'm asking who are <em>you </em>supposed to be? You get your own handle or are they recyclin' 'em so no one has to remember a bunch of crap in six months?"</p><p>"We're the new team," the shorter guy said.</p><p>"So what? You just go by things one through four?" Logan asked in a scoffing tone. "Sounds about right."</p><p>"We're not using code names," the leader said. "I'm Deric — this is Mark, Mandy, Alec," he said, going down the line.</p><p>Logan tipped his head up as Mac started laughing on the other end of the line, then swore up and down it wasn't his idea. "Charmed," Logan said flatly, going right back to smoking as he looked them all over. "So what's your big plan here, kids? Showing up in uniform isn't exactly friendly."</p><p>"It's an official team pickup," Deric explained.</p><p>Logan pointedly turned toward his phone and put it on speaker. "Is this an official pick up, Mac?" Logan asked, to which Mac answered to the negative and Logan pointed to the phone for emphasis. "Mac says it's not official. So who are you taking your orders from, David?"</p><p>"Deric," the kid said. "And we got our orders over Guardian's head, actually."</p><p>"On it," Mac said on the other end of the line before he hung up.</p><p>"That's what I wanted to know," Logan said. "Who's pullin your strings? You got a name for me, or do you just not respect <em>old </em>team members?"</p><p>The kids glanced at each other. "That's not your business," Mandy said at last.</p><p>"It kind of is," Logan replied. "Used to be a code of sorts with Alpha Flight — that you didn't hide things from other team members, even after they left. So I'm askin. Who is it?"</p><p>It was Mandy who finally seemed to catch on. "Oh my gosh. You can't be Wolverine?" She shook her head.</p><p>"I am," he replied.</p><p>Deric raised both eyebrows and seemed to assess Logan better. "Look, we're not trying to hide anything. We're just not authorized to do anything more than the pickup."</p><p>"Then we got a couple of little problems, don't we?" Logan said. "If it helps, I can twist you up a little bit so you can say I beat it outta you. No one will call you a liar over it."</p><p>"Look, can't we just — we're just here to get Chance," Alec said, looking clearly like he couldn't understand what the big deal was, even if everyone else knew what was <em>really going on.</em></p><p>Logan turned his way for a moment, still smoking and still taking his time. "No." He shook his head and tipped the ash off the end of the stogie. "He's got no plans to leave today."</p><p>Just about then, Chance finally came ambling down toward the front gate, though he paused when he saw the full team together and frowned. "What's going on here?"</p><p>"They came to drag you to Canada. Kicking and screaming if need be, I'd wager," Logan said calmly. "I told 'em no."</p><p>"We came," Deric said, shaking his head at Logan, "because you're on the team."</p><p>"Funny thing about teams — you can come and go as you please," Logan said, shaking his head slowly.</p><p>"Maybe your team," Deric said. "But ours is more official."</p><p>"Yeah, I forgot how unorganized the Avengers are," Logan countered in an easy drawl.</p><p>"I mean we signed contracts when we all signed up," Deric said.</p><p>"Oh, that changes everything if it's a military angle," Logan said, looking for a moment like he was going along with it — until he pulled his wallet out and produced a business card. "This is his lawyer. Leave it to them to deal with. Sounds an awful lot like a civil matter to me."</p><p>"Oh, come on, Chance," Mandy said, exasperated, though it was obvious Chance was incredibly amused by the routine that Logan was giving them and wasn't about to stop it, either.</p><p>"From my many years dealing with this crap, I can tell you firsthand: you don't have a leg to stand on if you come and kidnap him. You're telling me you're planning to break dozens of international laws on an order from some faceless jackass that you don't even want to name," Logan said. "So do yourselves a favor and take your well-organized team and get the hell outta here."</p><p>"We're not going without him," Mark frowned.</p><p>"You want a <em>fight</em>?" Logan asked, starting to lose some of the matter-of-fact and honestly approachable angle he'd been trying to stick to. "Cause I got a few minutes and could use a little stretch."</p><p>"Guys, just stand down, okay?" Chance cut in, trying to diffuse it.</p><p>Logan turned to Chance and pulled him to the side to fill him in. "They got nothin'. Let Murdock take a look at your contract. I've got him on retainer. You just got outta detox, and I'm not lettin' you go back to those creeps when Mac is still lookin' for the pusher."</p><p>"I wasn't going back with them," Chance said. "Just… trying to avoid a fight."</p><p>"Go ahead and let 'em fight. This is the game plan. And they're too stupid to see I'm tryin' to do 'em a favor," Logan said before he gave him a crooked smile. "Besides, I won't cut 'em. Just slap 'em around a little."</p><p>Chance smirked his way. "Yeah, they don't have a chance. That's kind of why I stepped in."</p><p>"The original team didn't have a chance," Logan pointed out.</p><p>Chance nodded and then turned back to the others. "Guys, just go. I'm not coming."</p><p>"Get yourselves cleaned up while you're at it," Logan advised.</p><p>"We're not leaving," Mark insisted.</p><p>"You're not staying either," Chance said. "The gate is as far as you'll get."</p><p>"You sure you're Alpha Flight?" Logan asked, frowning deeply as he went right up to the gate.</p><p>"Of course we are," Mandy bristled.</p><p>Logan tossed his cigar into the lawn and inspected the kids carefully, going full intimidation as he looked down his nose at them and let a soft, low growl slip. "The thing is … Alpha Flight is Mac Hudson's baby. It's always been his team. And this is sounding a helluva lot like somethin' <em>Omega </em>Flight ran." His hand darted through the bars; he grabbed a hold of Deric's uniform just under his chin, yanked him right to the bars, and started to growl louder into the mic Logan knew was hidden at his collar. "Jaxon, if I find out this is you screwin' with these kids, you're gonna wish you were never born." He let go of the kid just as quickly and then glared at each of them. "Leave. Or I'll come out and give you a free lesson."</p><p>"Deric…" Mandy said quietly.</p><p>"Fine," the kid said, looking shocked for a moment before he straightened up. "Fine. We're leaving."</p><p>Chance and Logan didn't move until the new Alpha Flight team was long gone, and then Chance let out a breath and turned Logan's way. "So, I guess they ignored the letter of resignation?"</p><p>"Sounds like it," Logan agreed. "Not surprising. They ignored mine too, even though it was carved into a general's desk."</p><p>"Sounds more permanent than mine," Chance said, turning back to head up.</p><p>"They couldn't say they didn't get it," Logan said with a shrug. "You did the right thing."</p><p>"The letter? Yeah, that was Dad's idea."</p><p>"The letter, talking to them and letting me be the pain in the ass…"</p><p>"Thanks, by the way," Chance said. He still wasn't sure where he stood personally with Logan, but it was nice to see he still had his back.</p><p>"No problem. Next step is getting Murdock to take a look at the contract and see where the loopholes are."</p><p>"You think it'll be that straightforward?" Chance asked.</p><p>"Probably not," Logan admitted. "Mac tried to kidnap me three times <em>anyhow </em>before he finally got his head out. Your dad had to blast him once that I can remember."</p><p>"I didn't know that. I mean, I knew Dad and Mac didn't get along…"</p><p>"I think it was the cage he took exception to," Logan replied.</p><p>Chance stopped and turned his way. "The what?"</p><p>"Adamantium-laced cage."</p><p>Chance shook his head at that. "Yeah. That… no," he muttered to himself as they headed back across the line. "See, that's something I'd've liked to know before I signed on — or I would <em>not</em> have."</p><p>"You could've asked," Logan pointed out.</p><p>"I know." Chance slowed down a bit and looked Logan's way. "Just add it to the list of stupid decisions."</p><p>"You're young; you're supposed to make a few stupid choices. The trick is not making 'em permanent."</p><p>"The good news here is even the <em>worst</em> case scenario is only two years," Chance said in an obvious attempt to lighten things up.</p><p>"Not gonna happen. I'll buy the contract out myself if I have to," Logan said. "You don't need to be in a group that does sanctioned kidnappings."</p><p>"Yeah, I don't want to be," Chance agreed. "Thanks."</p><p>"Watch your back. Keep an emergency button on you. They're not done. They'll come back — probably before Mac gets his full steam going on whoever's funding the thing."</p><p>"Might not help, since Mac went after the guys I was in contact with before, but I can tell you the guy running the contracts," Chance said.</p><p>"You got a name for me?" Logan asked.</p><p>"I dunno his first name, but last name's Horton."</p><p>"Doesn't ring a bell," Logan said, though the closer they got to the mansion, the clearer it was that Logan was flat out pissed off. "Not that it means much. I'll dig into it."</p><p>"Thanks," Chance said again. He was starting to feel like things between him and Logan were settling out at last — at least when the chips were down. And that was more of a relief than he'd realized.</p><p>He'd missed having Logan's approval. And now, he was starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. As long as he didn't screw up again.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. If At First You Don't Succeed...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the junior Alpha Flight jerks return</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jubilee all but skidded around the corner of the outer wall on the east side of the institute, where Noh was working on checking the sensors and listening to music while he did so.</p><p>"You … have no. Idea. what I just saw!" she squealed, bouncing on her toes with her hands in fists under her chin. "Come on, guess! <em>Guess!</em>"</p><p>Noh couldn't help but grin as he pushed away from the wall and straightened up. "It must be something amazing to have you in such a good mood," he said slowly, unable to stop smiling at her.</p><p>"It is. It so so is," she beamed, skipping the rest of the way up to him before she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "So. Freakin' sweet." She leaned forward to touch noses with him. "So … come on. Guess!"</p><p>He couldn't stop smiling at her enthusiasm. "Did you… perhaps… see Logan's two youngest girls harassing Kurt's boys again?" he guessed.</p><p>She blew her bangs out of her face. "As if. They do that all the time. This… this is <em>new</em>. And so. Sweet."</p><p>Noh closed one eye as he considered her. "Has it… anything to do with our resident Sunshine and Charlie? Melody and Celeste are convinced there is something to that..."</p><p>She put both hands on either side of his head and pulled him closer so they were eye to eye. "There is. But that … no. This … is about our son. And a certain purple elfling … <em>dancing on the ceiling in the hangar.</em>"</p><p>Noh blinked at her for a moment before he let out a little laugh. "That sounds <em>perfect</em>," he said. "He has excellent taste — and good plans. We should do a little dancing ourselves."</p><p>"Yes, yes, we should!" She was grinning widely before she kissed him again — clearly in high spirits over the whole affair. "How long are you going to be addressing circuits while I'm over here short circuiting?"</p><p>"If you can give me just a few more minutes… I'd leave it be, but I have stripped down a few components…. And it's …"</p><p>She started kissing him between his sentences. "If I have to wait that long. I <em>suppose."</em></p><p>"You are making it very difficult to get anything done," he laughed quietly without moving to do anything about it.</p><p>"Do you want me to stop?"</p><p>"Of course not," he said with a smile.</p><p>"Then I don't know what to tell you because I came <em>all the way out here </em>just to tell you the most romantic thing I've heard all day … and I'm waiting on you."</p><p>He shook his head and then simply scooped her up and simply started to kiss her while he resettled her, and then he held her with one arm as he very, very quickly finished what he was working on so he could sweep her off to go dancing.</p><hr/><p>Kurt and Kate had headed out for the day to do an interview with an adoption agency — since Kate had finally caved and decided that Kade was old enough that she could feasibly <em>handle </em>another one — so the bamfs had been excited and bouncing around all day. Which meant the kids had decided to make it a day at the lake.</p><p>All of the Wagner kids were there and excited, laughing and making jokes — and, of course, Ael was in <em>full </em>favor of the whole idea, sitting seriously with Kade, who was very, very concerned that a non-elfling wouldn't get along with everyone. As much of a goofball as he was, he was a sweetheart too.</p><p>Chance wasn't even going to try to keep up with Sying and Krissy and whatever race they were running further out on the lake. Instead, he was just swimming out to the buoy and back a few times, enjoying trying to get back his old endurance and speed outside of the gym or Danger Room.</p><p><em>Would've been more fun with Elin</em>, he thought, but she was with her sisters and her mom spending a girl's day out riding, and James and Logan were fishing further down the lake's shoreline.</p><p>Cody had been swimming with him for a while, but he had ended up heading back to help Charlie with grilling out. Most of the kids were already headed back that way anyway to grab some burgers and hot dogs.</p><p>"Stop cheating!" he heard Sying shouting and had to laugh when he saw that there was still a bit of purple smoke around Krissy out at one of the buoys on the other side of the lake.</p><p>"Not cheating," Krissy sang back. "You're speeding; I'm just making use of what I've got too."</p><p>Chance shook his head to himself. He was pretty sure that was never going to change between the two of them, though the fact that Krissy was giving Sying a little kiss on the cheek when he caught up to her was a change.</p><p>There was a little giggle, and he looked over to see that Krissy had disappeared with Sying. "Yeah, I was wondering when that would happen," he muttered to himself before he started to swim back to shore.</p><p>He pushed himself a little faster on the way back, which was the fastest swim he'd had that afternoon, so he was feeling pretty good when he got back onto the lake's shoreline and grabbed a towel. Though he'd just toweled his hair off when he felt a dart hit right under his shoulder blade. He had just a second to panic and try to reach it before whatever was in it started to hit his system — and the fact that he'd panicked just spread it faster before he was solidly out.</p><hr/><p>Logan and James were fishing in the shade with a bamf that was trying very hard to get into the six pack that Logan had brought along to pass the time when the two ferals heard the group of powered suits fly past, but that was enough to get Logan to drop the pole and start swearing as he grabbed the bamf by the tail and dragged him along with him. "Yeah, I know. I'll give you the beer when we're done," he promised, taking to the comm to turn on the perimeter defenses — which would at least keep their visitors from leaving before it was time. "Where's Chance?" he growled out, looking out across the lake to find him. "Help me find him, bud." Logan said to the little bamf, who saluted before the two of them disappeared to the front lawn.</p><p>He glared around, sniffing for any foreign scents, until he saw a disturbance that looked like the lawn and part of the fence were wavering. Logan took his hat off and tipped his chin toward the ripple. "Take me there. And if you can spot him, drop me on the big one."</p><p>The little bamf giggled impishly and rubbed his hands together before they disappeared in a plume of smoke. A couple of teleports later, Logan was on top of the fence looking down at the cloaked Alpha Flight suits while their pilots were trying to figure out how to get through the security system. He grinned for just a second before he gave them their warning shot — just the sound of popping his claws as he jumped off the fence intent on getting a hold of any one of them.</p><p>The first handful of uniform he got earned him a scream before the owner tried to rocket skyward in an attempt to throw him off, but Logan readjusted his grip and clambered over to get on the kid's back and start pulling his arm backward, tweaking it at just the right angle to cause more pain than actual damage. The kid tried to get him off, but Logan wasn't going anywhere, regardless of what he tried. It wasn't until the kid bashed him against the fence that Logan even halfway loosened his grip - only to haul off and deck the guy in the side of the head full bore.</p><p>Three quick hits and the kid was knocked out cold, though the suit wasn't going toward the ground … not until Logan used a claw to rip open the power center at the small of the boy's back and tear it loose. He didn't wait for the next one to come his way before he made a wild leap at him. It was the bigger kid, Mark, whose lengthened as he tried to get a hold of Logan while they were flying higher in the air — but again, the barely trained Alpha Flight kid really didn't stand a chance grappling with Logan in the air or the ground. He did manage to get a hold of Logan, but he quickly tried to get him off when Logan decided to send a claw through his shoulder joint, popping one arm out of joint entirely — which really wasn't helpful when it was so overgrown at the time.</p><p>Logan grabbed the kid's free arm and swung to get onto his back, pounding away, and the cracks were echoing to the last two members of the team. He was just getting up a good rhythm when a solid blast of fire singed him over his shoulder.</p><p>"Let go of him," Mandy demanded.</p><p>"Trade you," Logan growled out.</p><p>"You're an X-Man — you can't do that!" she argued, her eyes wide.</p><p>"I'm on vacation," he laughed, clearly trying to bait her.</p><p>She balled her hands in fists before she sent another solid pillar of fire his way. "Hands off!" she shouted, hitting him solidly enough that his shirt was burned off almost instantly.</p><p>"So you're willing to play then?" Logan asked when the fire backed off and she could clearly see the metal bones in his shoulder and his left arm shining in the sunlight. "Alright. No hands." He popped his claws with a full snarl and drew back, looking like he was ready to outright skewer the kid, though when he swung down, he moved just so and cut the flight systems out of the back of the suit. With one more down, Logan dove off of Mark to grab Mandy around the waist. Before she could fight him, he sliced through her power pack and wrapped her up in a sleeper hold as she fell to the ground with him, only slowed down when the little bamf got a hold of both of them and teleported them to a safer height to fall.</p><p>Logan turned to where he knew the last kid was and decided to level with him as he stalked forward slowly. "You have a choice. You can follow through with your mission, or I can call in the Avengers and have your buddies thrown in jail while we figure out the terms of this contract and how you think you can go around international law, basic rights, and common sense to kidnap someone. Your call." He took out his phone and scrolled down the list. "Clock's ticking."</p><p>"Wait," Deric called out, decloaking so Logan could see him. The kid had Chance slung over one shoulder when he touched down on the lawn. "Don't do that."</p><p>"Why not? Because you know I'm right and this would destroy your chances at being a superhero? Or because it would sink your team's rep in one easy phone call?"</p><p>"Just … just don't do that."</p><p>"If you thought you were in the right, you wouldn't <em>need </em>to stop me. And you wouldn't need to snatch him," Logan pointed out. "So why the hell are you doing it?"</p><p>"Because it's the job," Deric said, almost sullenly. "Just let my team go."</p><p>"Was Alpha Flight your first choice?"</p><p>"Not my choice, no," Deric admitted. "But that's not the point right now."</p><p>"It might be," Logan said as he took a few steps closer. "If they're squeezin' kids into contracts, I might find myself a hobby."</p><p>Deric seemed to hold his breath for a second. "Just… give me my team. I can carry 'em."</p><p>"Set the Summers kid down," Logan told him. "Or I'll rip out your flight center and you'll be walking after I kick <em>your </em>ass too."</p><p>Deric didn't take his eyes off of Logan as he set Chance down on the lawn and held up both hands. "Now back off my team."</p><p>Logan smirked. "You're gonna need to learn how to handle it when you don't hold the cards, kid." He tipped his chin up, and a bamf appeared on Chance's shoulder to teleport him well away from anyone in Alpha Flight. When the bamf returned a few moments later, it was with three of his friends — all of whom perched on one Alpha Flight member or another, Deric included. "Dealer's choice, guys. I'll have booze for you when you get back."</p><p>The bamfs erupted into a chorus of giggles before all of Alpha Flight disappeared only to reappear moments later across the Atlantic on some unnamed island off the coast of Spain. When the little demons got back, Logan was already heading to the garage to pay up — a full fifth of whiskey to the little troublemakers as long as they promised to keep it outside.</p><p>Logan headed inside to check on Chance, knowing that James had probably already told the girls what was going on, since an alarm had gone off when the perimeter defenses went up.</p><p>Logan made his way upstairs and right into the Summers' suite, past Charlie, who had ducked inside to grab her book and was looking at him strangely. He ignored her outright as he went to where Chance was and took a moment to get a good scent on the kid before he texted Hank to ask for something to reverse it, along with directions as to where they were.</p><p>"What's going on?" Charlie asked, looking like she couldn't decide between concern for her brother and curiosity.</p><p>"Alpha Flight tried to kidnap your brother," Logan said evenly as he got comfortable.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You need your ears cleaned, girl."</p><p>"Is he okay?" she asked.</p><p>"Got hit with a sedative. He'll be fine," Logan promised.</p><p>Charlie frowned at that as she leaned against the doorframe. "That doesn't sound… do you want me to get Hank?"</p><p>"I already told him what they hit him with, and asked him to bring up somethin' to reverse it."</p><p>"Okay." She kicked off the doorframe and hesitated for a moment. "You're not going to tackle him or something, are you?"</p><p>"Only if it's going to make you freak out," Logan deadpanned.</p><p>"Oh, ha ha," she said, rolling her eyes at him.</p><p>"Relax," he said. "I just kicked the crap out of his 'team' and sent 'em off to wherever the bamfs thought would be most educational."</p><p>Charlie couldn't help but smirk at that and sat down close by to watch as Hank arrived to help, just to give Chance a very quick injection and step back.</p><p>It took hardly any time at all for the injection to work, and not even a minute later, Chance was awake again and clearly in a panic as he blindly swung out at the closest person, who happened to be Logan.</p><p>Logan deflected the hit and blocked his path so he couldn't run out. "Hey. Take it easy. You're in your room. You're safe."</p><p>It took Chance a second to process what Logan had said before he let his shoulders drop. "I didn't — I'm sorry — I wasn't trying to—"</p><p>"I blocked so you wouldn't break your hand," Logan said with a smirk. "And I endorse wakin' up swingin'." But when Chance didn't look like he was quite able to pull it together quick enough, Logan took a hold of him by both shoulders and tried to get him to look him in the face. "You did fine. They got the drop on you."</p><p>"They — they drugged me again," he said thickly.</p><p>"With a sedative," Logan said. "That's all. I checked."</p><p>Chance seemed to relax at that and let his shoulders fall entirely. "Oh. Good. I didn't want to do all that again," he said as he dropped back down onto the bed to sit down.</p><p>"If they have any brains, they won't be back," Logan said, trying to help the situation. "But … that probably means they will be."</p><p>"Yeah. Okay," Chance said, closing his eyes for a second and he nodded to himself to try and get himself back under control too. "I'm just — I'm just really tired of getting hit with needles," he said quietly and put his head in his hands.</p><p>Logan turned to look at Charlie and Hank and made it clear that they needed to get out before he turned toward Chance and put his hand on his shoulder. "That's part of the gig, kiddo."</p><p>"I know," he said quietly. "I know. I'm trying to get a handle on it. Just — just give me a second."</p><p>Logan shifted over to sit down next to him and put his arm across Chance's shoulders, propping his chin up with his free hand. "Take your time."</p><p>Chance seemed to startle for a second before he leaned over slightly into Logan and focused on getting a breath. "I'm sorry; I'm trying."</p><p>"Let it go. You're gonna give yourself a stroke otherwise. Besides, you've earned the right to freak out a little bit." At that, Chance seemed to halfway melt into Logan's shoulder, clearly relieved and tired as he did so. Logan didn't comment in the least and simply let him get it all out of his system. When it seemed like Chance had things under control, Logan again gave him a little squeeze. "How about a little water, or some more tea? You can use it after that stuff."</p><p>Chance nodded. "Thanks."</p><p>"Great; let's go," Logan offered, pulling Chance with him to head down and not once taking his hand off of the kid's shoulder. When the two of them got to the kitchen, James was already there with a pot of tea and listening to the bamfs chittering and giggling about their idea of an educational locale.</p><p>"What's this about an island in the Atlantic?" Chance asked as he sat down.</p><p>James grinned as Logan got a pair of cups out. "Dad totally kicked the crap out of your team then had the bamfs teleport them to an island off the coast of Spain."</p><p>"Okay. First off? Not my team," Chance pointed out. "I skipped the junior squad thing anyway out there."</p><p>"That's right. Silly junior league trying to step it up," James said, smirking.</p><p>"Yeah, step up into thuggery, no thanks."</p><p>"I think our junior team wouldn't mind thugging it right back and see how they like it," James laughed. "It was fun to watch anyhow. Pretty sure Dad scared the crap out of all of them."</p><p>"Yeah?" Chance glanced up at Logan with a little smile. "Learning experience."</p><p>"Started out as a free lesson until the little girl decided to get nasty. So I gave it back. Two outta ten," Logan said with a shrug. "Below average."</p><p>"Mandy has a temper," Chance said, smirking as he took the tea with a muttered 'thanks'.</p><p>"She squeaks if you tackle her mid air," Logan said as he picked up his mug.</p><p>"I've never found that out. Just tackled her brother once in practice just 'cause he annoyed me."</p><p>"Got her after I pounded the crap out of him. Put a claw through a ball and socket joint on that jackass, pretty sure he's gonna need plastic surgery too."</p><p>Chance winced when he heard it and shook his head. "Yeah. I did warn 'em," he muttered into his mug.</p><p>"They were warned a few times," Logan said. "But when she burned off my shoulder to the bone, I figured they were ready to play hard ball."</p><p>Chance's eyebrows shot up and he let out a low whistle. "That… you okay?"</p><p>"Sure," Logan said, though he pulled his flannel up to take a peek. "It'll be fine."</p><p>Chance shook his head. "She's got to be boosting," he said. "She couldn't do that in any of the practices I ran with them."</p><p>"They all were," Logan agreed. "And the head guy … Don … whatever. He was at least smart enough to back off before I called the Avengers in."</p><p>Chance shook his head in disbelief. "You were going to call the Avengers?"</p><p>"Why wouldn't I?" Logan asked. "Buncha foreign dirtbags trying to kidnap an American on American soil? Turns out Nick's a little tweaked at some of the reports on what's going on up there. The fact that Hydra's little princess slipped under their nose by hiding out in Canada's got all kinds of attention."</p><p>"Yeah, I can't imagine anyone's happy about that," Chance nodded quietly.</p><p>"I ripped the flight packs out of their suits too, so they can't zip back home," Logan said, looking into the bottom of his mug.</p><p>"So yeah, they're not coming back," Chance surmised with a little smirk.</p><p>"Not right away anyhow. And I might send Mac a bill," Logan said easily. "If I gotta grow something back, I'll charge."</p><p>"Yeah, pretty sure Mac didn't sanction this. He didn't even sanction when they showed up at the gate."</p><p>"As a matter of fact, he did <em>not</em>," Logan said. "Didn't sound real tickled about it either."</p><p>Chance nodded at that as he set his mug down. "Yeah. Well. Thanks."</p><p>"No problem," Logan said. "They needed a little spankin' before they went back with their tail between their legs."</p><p>"So … all things considered," James said with a grin, "since you both were technically injured … are we doing steaks or pizza? Because all joking aside, Charlie's pretty lousy on the grill, and burgers just aren't gonna cut it."</p><p>"We just had pizza a couple days ago," Chance said. "But I <em>can </em>put on some steaks."</p><p>"Good," James said. "That's what I was expecting anyhow. Girls should be up from the barn any time. They were putting all the horses in."</p><p>At that, Chance broke into a grin. "Great. I'll make another round of tea."</p><p>Logan got up and headed toward the living room. "Wake me up when dinner's ready."</p><p>It wasn't more than ten minutes later before the girls did come in from the barn, and when they did, Elin made a beeline to find Chance and didn't say a word before she started looking him over with a deep frown. "Who was it?" she asked.</p><p>"What?" he asked with a frown to match her.</p><p>"Who drugged you?"</p><p>He took a deep breath and let it out. "Alpha Flight," he said slowly. "Not… Not Mac's. Obviously. The junior team."</p><p>"Yeah, but which one on the junior team?" Elin asked, as she took his hand. "You have to have an educated guess."</p><p>Chance took a deep breath. "Pretty sure it was either Mark or Mandy. I wiped the floor with them when I got there, and they've been annoyed with me ever since."</p><p>"Where did they hit you?" she asked, softening her tone a little bit. "Because I'm going to stab them in the same spot, and I need to know these things."</p><p>Chance shook his head lightly and then stole a kiss. "It's alright. Your dad already scared them off."</p><p>"Do you want me to kiss it or not?"</p><p>"Oh, if that's the game …" He smirked. "This is harder when I know you know I'm lying."</p><p>"It is. So don't do that."</p><p>He shook his head. "Shoulder," he said at last. "I was swimming, so… you know. Wide open."</p><p>"You'll have to show me," she said. "Because I don't want to have to be sneaky to get your shirt off otherwise."</p><p>He couldn't help but smirk at her and then steal a kiss. "Alright, but seeing as I can't see my shoulder or reach back there either, you're going to have to estimate from there," he teased.</p><p>"Be easier if you just took the shirt off without a fight, don't you think?" She held up her hands. "If you really don't want to, that's fine. I'll ask Uncle Blue to draw it out so I can be more accurate with my blades …"</p><p>He couldn't stop grinning at her as he shook his head one more time and then slipped out of his shirt and tossed it at her. "I think I like the not-at-all sneaky look on you."</p><p>"This was the 'reasoning'," Elin corrected as she ran her hand over the spot where he'd been hit then popped up to give him a little kiss. "Not at all sneaky would have just torn it off. Come on. Direct route."</p><p>He couldn't stop grinning as he nodded along. "For future reference… I wouldn't be opposed to that either."</p><p>She started laughing outright at him. "You're more trouble than you like to admit; you know that, right?"</p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about; I'm an amazing, straightlaced hero who never does anything wrong ever," Chance said, though he was completely unable to keep a straight face.</p><p>She was grinning at him and shaking her head as she handed him his shirt back. "Ri-ight."</p><p>"That's right I'm right," Chance grinned, then snagged her for another, longer kiss with a grin.</p><p>She shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. "If you say so."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. What Kari Sees</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which art sheds light on life and love.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Scott and Annie came back from vacation, they were in great moods — all the way up until Scott caught up with Logan on everything that had happened while they were gone, and Scott was back to being annoyed with the Canadians all over again.</p><p>"Mac is off the grid going after these idiots," Logan told him. "The names aren't matching up with anything, and the cover-up was from a lot higher up than Mac can reach on his own. He's sending the names and files to James to play with."</p><p>"How soon does James think he can find the real names?"</p><p>"Knowin' that kid? Shouldn't be long." Logan tipped his head toward the comm on the table. "Stark hasn't figured out how to break into his comms yet."</p><p>"Good, then I want to know as soon as it happens," Scott said. "I'm tired of these guys coming after my kid."</p><p>"You and me both," Logan grumbled. "I already got Murdock on tearing apart the contract."</p><p>"What's he got on that, anyway?" Scott asked.</p><p>"You mean outside of the international laws not being followed? Plenty."</p><p>"I just remember Chance saying he had to do a lot of hoops and paperwork out there, and if that ends up meaning it all comes up legal somehow…"</p><p>"If it all comes up legal, it'd make them look like crap on an international stage. Besides, we already have people that will testify that they were shoving drugs down their throats — and if you give me twenty minutes, I'll bet I can get the kid running the junior squad too." He held up his hands. "And I'm not even talkin' kickin' his ass, either. Somethin's off there."</p><p>"Sounded like you wiped the floor with them anyway," Scott pointed out.</p><p>Logan shrugged. "Just a little scuffle. If it wasn't for the one burning off half my arm, I wouldn't have even broke a sweat."</p><p>Scott shook his head. "Alright. I'd just as soon keep this away from a public testimony if we can, because I don't want to put him through that."</p><p>"If the guy running it is who I think it is — it'll never get that far," Logan said.</p><p>Scott raised an eyebrow. "Is that a good or a bad thing?"</p><p>Logan shrugged. "Good that I know who we're up against — if it's him, guy always had it out for Mac too."</p><p>"Which is the reason Mac didn't know anything," Scott surmised.</p><p>Logan was already nodding. "That's what I'm thinkin'."</p><p>Scott took a deep breath and let it out with a nod. "Alright. Thank you. We'll keep an eye on this."</p><p>Logan smirked his way. "Nothin' like coming home to a small crisis."</p><p>"Is there any other way to do it?"</p><p>"Beats me." Logan clapped Scott on the shoulder and simply headed off to prep for his trip to Tokyo, leaving Scott to regroup.</p><p>With that, Scott and Annie went back to the rest of the family, though of course, after hearing about what had happened, Annie wanted to check on Chance too. Which took a bit of doing, though Scott was surprised when Annie's suggestion to check the movie room was the one that did the trick and they found him and Elin curled up sharing a blanket and watching the old black and white Sherlock Holmes series in the background.</p><p>Scott raised both eyebrows and paused in the doorway, though Annie didn't look surprised in the least as she smiled at the two of them. "Really, Chance, Sherlock and not Hercules Poirot?"</p><p>"Mom has a thing about Agatha Christie," Chance told Elin with a smirk as he sat up a bit straighter.</p><p>"I like explosions," Elin said with a perfectly reasonable expression on her face. "There's always something."</p><p>Annie shook her head with a smile as she sat down across from them and Scott sat with her, unable to stop the small smirk at the girls in the room. "I thought you'd be getting ready with your parents for the trip to Tokyo," Scott said.</p><p>"I don't have much to pack, and Mom likes to get new clothes while we're there," Elin said. "I can leave, though — if you want privacy."</p><p>"No, no," Annie said with a smile. "Don't let us interrupt."</p><p>Scott tipped his head Annie's way with a small frown and then looked toward Chance. "Logan let us know what happened."</p><p>"I'm fine, Dad," Chance said quickly. "It was just a sedative."</p><p>"You sure?"</p><p>"Yeah," Chance said, just as quickly as his first answer. "Actually…" He glanced at Elin and then tipped his head slightly to the side. "I was wondering if I could go to Tokyo too?" He paused, and when Scott simply stared at him with both eyebrows raised, waiting for an explanation, he let out a breath. "I've been home for months now and haven't really gotten out, and now, the Canadians are knocking on our door…"</p><p>"Are you arguing that you have cabin fever or that you're ducking Alpha Flight?" Scott asked.</p><p>"Oooooh, tough call," Elin said quietly, clearly entertained to watch the show.</p><p>Chance shook his head at her and then turned to Scott. "I'm not… <em>ducking </em>Alpha Flight," he said. "I just — I'm trying to lay out more reasons than just 'I haven't gotten out in a while and I'm slowly dying'."</p><p>"Dramatic. Nice touch," she whispered, then covered her mouth with one hand. "I mean: Carry on."</p><p>While Chance shook his head at Elin, Scott watched the two of them, trying to figure out when they'd gotten that close, before he simply let out a breath. Chance was old enough to make his own decisions now. "If you want to go to Tokyo, that's fine, but you know the drill: panic button, comm, the whole nine."</p><p>Chance grinned and nodded. "Yeah, of course."</p><p>"And take lots of pictures," Annie said with a smile.</p><p>"Pretty sure James will have that covered, but yeah, I'll send you plenty, Mom," he promised.</p><p>Scott looked between the other three people in the room and then let out a breath. "Alright," he said, though he didn't actually leave the room as Chance and Elin headed up to pack for the trip.</p><p>Annie smiled as she rearranged herself to get comfortable. "We can't watch <em>Sherlock</em>," she said in a tone of disdain.</p><p>He shook his head at her. "Shouldn't we be—"</p><p>"Scott, he's an adult, and he likes this girl," Annie pointed out.</p><p>"Annie—"</p><p>"Oh, honestly," she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek before she got up to look for one of the Hercules Poirot movies. "Your son has all your tells, Mr. Summers."</p><p>"My son?"</p><p>"And he absolutely likes this girl," she continued without listening to him. "<em>And</em> this is the happiest he's been in months. So no, Scott, I don't think we should be trying to get in the middle."</p><p>"He's your son too," Scott pointed out, though he was smirking slightly as he pulled down Annie's favorite blanket — she liked the shorter one so her toes could peek out of it - so they could sit down to the movie.</p><p>"Do you have a <em>problem </em>with him dating her?" Annie asked.</p><p>"No—"</p><p>"Then," Annie said in a perfectly matter-of-fact tone as she sat down beside him and clicked on the new movie, "relax. We just got back from vacation."</p><hr/><p>And while the Howletts were headed off to Japan, the Lees were doing their annual trip to Australia to go to the Great Barrier Reef for Ael, and Krissy had invited herself along — not that any one of them was complaining.</p><p>"You've got your own room again," Melody giggled. "Boys in one room, me and Celeste, and then you… you know, at least until next year."</p><p><em>Woah, Mel, we're not psychics, </em>Celeste told her sister.</p><p><em>I'm so right and you know it, </em>Melody shot back.</p><p>
  <em>Yeah but we don't want to kill our brother either.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Good point.</em>
</p><p>Celeste shook her head at Melody and then turned to grin at Krissy. "So, your parents are looking for another little sister, right?"</p><p>"It could be a brother," Krissy said, turning slightly less purple at the change in subject.</p><p>"Yeah, but they both want a little girl," Celeste said.</p><p>"Well, yeah, but I think that's mostly because Kade is driving Mom up the wall because he doesn't ever <em>stop</em>."</p><p>"Boys are ridiculous," Melody agreed with a sideways grin.</p><p>"I dunno," Krissy said, smiling Sying's way. "They're okay."</p><p>"When they get older, maybe," Celeste said, wrinkling her nose. "And stop making that face at <em>my brother</em>."</p><p>"What face?"</p><p>"That face." Celeste gestured toward Krissy with one hand.</p><p>"I don't know, I kind of like that face," Sying put in.</p><p>"You," Celeste said, turning to point a finger at Sying, "don't get a say in it."</p><p>"I'm pretty sure I do?"</p><p>"Just run with it, Sying; you can't argue with them when they're both on the same page like this," Krissy whispered.</p><p>"Are you guys going to go snorkeling, or are you going to just talk about <em>kissing </em>all day," Ael asked with his arms crossed.</p><p>Krissy grinned over at Ael and then teleported to him to ruffle his hair. "Um, we are <em>so </em>snorkeling. This is the Australia trip! We should go diving too."</p><p>"Yes," he agreed, nodding. "But we are <em>not </em>going to Japan again."</p><p>"No," Krissy said with a smile. "I know that was <em>terribly </em>traumatic for you."</p><p>"They are so weird," Ael said, shaking his head as he made his way toward the beach.</p><p>"Yes, but we love them anyway," Krissy said. "And they adore their favorite blue nephew."</p><p>"Are you trying to get on my good side?" Ael asked with one eye open and his hands on his hips.</p><p>"Am I not already?" Krissy asked with a little smile.</p><p>"You just want me to help get the twins to stop obsessing over your love life," he said before he took a few steps forward. "But all you have to do is point out their own."</p><p>"They're not dating anybody," Krissy pointed out.</p><p>Ael put both hands out in front of himself. "Which is <em>why </em>they are so obsessed."</p><p>Krissy smiled at that and leaned in closer to him. "What do you think: can we set them up with some beach blondes to keep them off us?"</p><p>"It would be nice," he said. "Maybe they'll stop being weird and in each other's heads that way."</p><p>Krissy nodded. "I hear you," she said. "And just for you, because you're my favorite blue Kree… we'll find them some blondes and make them use their <em>words</em>. Deal?"</p><p>"Yes," he said with a sharp nod. "Because I was gonna have to stick seaweed in their shirts if they kept this up."</p><p>"I'm in favor of the seaweed thing too. We should get some really, really slimy stuff while we're out snorkeling."</p><hr/><p>Annie couldn't help but smile when she saw what Kari was working on in the art room, her hair pulled back into a long ponytail and paint on the tips of her ears as she was completely engrossed in her painting.</p><p>"Do you specifically wait until they're out of the country to work on that?" Annie asked, indicating the painting that thus far only had the outline of Chance and Elin's faces and not much else, though Kari was clearly working on the <em>expression </em>on Chance's face as he looked at Elin.</p><p>"I just work on what inspires me at the time," Kari said with a smile as she stopped for a moment and set her palette to the side to reload a few colors that were dwindling. "Would you like to see the originals?"</p><p>"Of course," Annie said with a smile.</p><p>Kari reached behind the painting to pull out the photos she'd printed out. "James sent them a couple days ago."</p><p>Annie couldn't help but smile as she looked through the pictures, all of them from Japan. She could tell which image Kari was using as inspiration — the two of them seated surrounded by bamboo. Chance was looking at Elin with a look of pure adoration, but James had managed to catch the moment that Elin saw the look — before Chance realized he'd been caught — and her entire expression shifted too.</p><p>"He is a one in a million photographer," Annie said with a smile.</p><p>"He's really wonderful — especially for the people he loves and knows best," Kari agreed.</p><p>Annie smiled at that. "And you're working on this while they're gone," she said, gesturing toward the canvas.</p><p>"Well, it's hard to work on presents for anyone when they can peek in and see what you're doing," Kari reasoned.</p><p>"Christmas, then?" Annie asked with a smile.</p><p>"If I'm done by then," she said with a little shrug. "Maybe."</p><p>A slow smile spread over Annie's face. "You're shooting for something else?"</p><p>Kari shook her head. "I did not say that."</p><p>"No, I know," Annie said with a smile. She paused in the doorway. "Kari, I wonder… Scott and I have been married twenty years this summer, and I wonder if ... "</p><p>Kari looked up at her with her head tipped to the side. "Do you have a request?"</p><p>She nodded. "I … you do such a good job of capturing the way people are on the inside, and I was wondering… even a sketch of the two of us - something sweet…"</p><p>She grinned and was nodding her head before Annie had even finished. "I can do that."</p><p>Annie beamed at her and wrapped her up in a hug. "You are darling, you know that?"</p><p>"Well, I have been told that a few times — and usually when I am all dirty with paint too," she giggled. "Sorry if I got some on you. Hazards of hugging an artist."</p><p>"That's what happens when people hug me when I'm cooking," Annie told her with a twinkle in her eyes. She gestured to the canvas. "I won't keep you… but thank you, really. I've been trying to figure out something special. I mean, it's twenty years."</p><p>"Just let me see the photos," Kari said. "And I'll come up with something for you."</p><p>"I'll bring them right to you."</p><hr/><p>Kari was still in the art room when Kurt came down to see what she was up to and entice her to dinner with the rest of the family — knowing that she was probably caught up in whatever it was that she was working on — though she had temporarily put aside the painting of Chance and Elin to look at the photographs Annie had brought her.</p><p>She was trying to decide between one from their wedding — because Kari had never seen the two of them so young and she thought that they looked so amazing — and one of the two of them that must have been taken just before James left for Tokyo of the two of them curled up asleep together…</p><p>"You're running late again," Kurt said from the doorway. "What's got your attention today?"</p><p>Kari looked up at Kurt and smiled and waved him in. "Annie asked me to do something for their anniversary."</p><p>"Oh?" he said as he made his way into the room, only glancing for a moment at the painting before he turned his focus to the pictures in front of her.</p><p>"Well, it's their twentieth anniversary," Kari said perfectly matter-of-factly.</p><p>"It doesn't seem like it," Kurt said, then pulled out a seat to sit next to her and peek over her shoulder, frowning when he saw the way the photos were blocked compared to the painting.</p><p>Kari didn't look up from what she was doing. "Papa, I hate to tell you this, but you're old," she teased lightly. "What do you think — should I use the wedding picture or… there's also this really great one of them in the garden…"</p><p>Kurt took a moment to look at the photos a little closer and then looked up at the painting in progress, only then realizing that the subject matter was not at all the same people.</p><p>"Papa?" Kari finally looked up, then frowned a bit when she saw the look on her father's face. "Is something the matter?"</p><p>He pulled his focus from the painting and perhaps answered a little belatedly. "No, no, of course not." He gestured up at the painting. "What did you use for inspiration here? It's turning out beautifully."</p><p>Kari smiled and made her way over to show Kurt the photographs of Chance and Elin. "James sent them to me, and they were so wonderful I just had to paint," she explained. When Kurt simply looked stunned, Kari tipped her head to the side. "Something is wrong, isn't it?" she asked. "Are you alright? Is Mama alright?"</p><p>Kurt forced a breathy laugh. "Everything is fine, <em>prinzessin</em>."</p><p>Kari took the photographs and frowned at them, then back up at Kurt before she let out a little laugh. "Papa, are you — you're doing that <em>thing</em>, aren't you?" she giggled.</p><p>"What thing?" Kurt asked, looking almost thunderstruck.</p><p>"You know, like when Krissy and Chance started dating… or James kissed me?" She grinned at him. "That thing!"</p><p>"No," he said, shaking his head. "This is something different."</p><p>"Then what's going on?"</p><p>Kurt smirked to himself then pulled the photos back. "You didn't see it yourself?"</p><p>"See what?" Kari asked.</p><p>"I shouldn't point it out to a Hawkeye, but you'll see it soon enough, I'm sure," Kurt said before he rearranged the photos to put the one she'd been painting from next to the one of Scott and Annie.</p><p>Kari shook her head at him, especially at the way he'd arranged the pictures. "Oh," she said, nodding her understanding. "Yes, I felt like I had <em>just </em>gotten the look on Chance's face when Annie came to talk to me, so I thought I'd draw Scott too while I was working on it. It's a lot of the same strokes and I've still got it in my head…"</p><p>"Have you seen the photos from Logan's wedding?" Kurt asked.</p><p>"Oh, no, but if you wanted to ask for something for <em>their </em>anniversary, can you maybe give me some time?"</p><p>"I'm not asking for anything of the sort," Kurt said. "Not this year, anyhow. I just meant as a reference point."</p><p>Kari tipped her head to the side as she studied Kurt for a long time before she couldn't help but smile. "Oh, you mean for Elin? Is it that similar?"</p><p>Kurt gestured to the photos of Scott and Chance. "More than you realize."</p><p>"Well, I really want to get through these two first… and I just finished a charcoal of Krissy and Sying..."</p><p>Kurt grinned and pulled her over to kiss the top of her head. "If you find you can't find just the right angle on the photos you have — then those photos would make a good substitute, that's all. The expression is the same."</p><p>Kari smiled up at him and hugged him. "I'll come up for food in a minute. Just let me capture this expression while I still have it."</p><p>"Take your time," Kurt said. "I'll be there whenever you get around to it."</p><hr/><p>It was a little past seven in the morning in Tokyo, and while most of the family was asleep, Logan was up — already adjusted to the time shift and enjoying a little quiet before the group slowly woke up and split up for the day.</p><p>The sun was already warming up the sky, and he was sitting outside with a cup of hot tea just taking the morning in with his paper — just as if he had been in Westchester.</p><p>It was perfectly quiet right up until an echoing <em>bamf </em>as Kurt showed up on the other side of the table, saw Logan, and teleported once more to stand just beside him.</p><p>"Mornin', Elf," Logan said barely looking up at him. "Something on your mind?"</p><p>"<em>Yes</em>," Kurt said before he simply seized Logan's arm and teleported off with him so they wouldn't be overheard outside the house where they were staying. "Logan, are you aware of the way — have you <em>seen </em>the way your daughter and Chance — well, the way they <em>are</em>?"</p><p>Logan let out a breath and let his shoulders drop. "Yes. I have seen it. And I don't want to talk about it."</p><p>"Logan…" Kurt took in a deep breath. "Logan, we've seen those looks. Both of them. In those same faces."</p><p>"Oh yeah," Logan agreed, starting to walk away from the house, since it was clear that Kurt wasn't going to let it drop. "More than once for one of 'em."</p><p>"You… Logan, she's your eldest daughter, <em>my goddaughter</em>!"</p><p>Logan held up one hand. "Kurt. Whatever it is you have to say, trust me: I've already thought it. I know. And I know there isn't a damn thing I can do one way or another about it." He tipped his head to the side. "Unless it goes south. Then I can kill him."</p><p>Kurt almost burst into a laugh. "And yet we've seen it for him — Logan, <em>mein Gott</em>."</p><p>He let out all of his breath in a sigh and nodded. "Yeah."</p><p>"And they've been spending this time with you in Tokyo… Logan!"</p><p>"To be fair, it's easier to see that it's not crap. But it's also pissing me off that it's not crap."</p><p>Kurt did have to laugh at that. "What do we do?" he asked after a moment. "Really."</p><p>Logan shook his head slowly. "They're old enough to figure it out between 'em," he said finally. "And too old to stop without driving them away if that's what they're set on."</p><p>"We <em>should</em> be able to do something, <em>ja</em>? Weren't they just chasing each other in diapers and sharing cupcakes?" Kurt asked, shaking his head.</p><p>Logan chuckled. "Where you been, Elf? That hasn't been the case for a while now."</p><p>"In my defense, I have been discussing adding another little one to our family."</p><p>"Yeah? How's that working out for you?" Logan asked with a smirk. "And I gotta ask: what the hell got you all the way out here for this?"</p><p>"It simply… took me by surprise," Kurt admitted.</p><p>"Must be nice," Logan said before he tapped the side of his nose.</p><p>Kurt raised both eyebrows Logan way. "Ah."</p><p>"Been an issue for a while," Logan told him.</p><p>"If you don't mind my asking… how long?" Kurt asked. "I didn't notice it myself until Kari was painting them and she showed me the photographs she was using for reference."</p><p>Logan tipped his head slightly and drew in a deep breath as he thought it over. "He's been tripping over himself around her for a lot longer, but they've been getting serious for a few months anyhow."</p><p>Kurt blew out all his breath from his cheeks. "I suppose… I may have missed the beginnings when I was concerned with Krissy."</p><p>"Yeah, that was kind of when it showed up," Logan agreed. "When the girls went north, she took off because of him."</p><p>"I thought it was because she was angry with him," Kurt pointed out.</p><p>"She don't get that angry without having a good reason," Logan said. "And she don't get that mad over just anyone. She's enough like her mother to want to get more in their face just to spite them and tick them off more."</p><p>"And after such a display, they became serious." Kurt blew out his breath again. "This does not inspire me with confidence, <em>mein Freund</em>."</p><p>Logan nodded. "And I'd be ticked off more if it wasn't for the fact that it hasn't gone too far, and he is bending over backwards to prove he's not gonna be a problem."</p><p>Kurt scrubbed a hand over his face and then shook his head lightly and turned to Logan. "It simply surprised me," he said. "They… I did not expect this yet. Not for another few years. They're so young."</p><p>"Kurt," Logan said, shaking his head. "The <em>age </em>doesn't surprise me at all."</p><p>"No?" Kurt asked. "They only just left high school!"</p><p>"Yeah, but look at who they take after," he said.</p><p>Kurt nodded slowly. "Yes," he said slowly, then rested his hand on Logan's shoulder. "I simply had to be sure you knew, <em>mein Freund</em>. And… offer to help should you need it. In either way — good or bad."</p><p>Logan gave him a tight smile. "I think James has that covered right now. The boys are sharing a room, and James is flat refusing to acknowledge him unless he speaks in Japanese."</p><p>"Then as her godfather, I feel reassured, if only a little bit," Kurt said with a smirk.</p><p>"He's busting his backside to learn the language while he's here," Logan said. "So …that keeps him a little busy."</p><p>"He is so much like his father," Kurt said, shaking his head.</p><p>"Yeah, but at least this one had his dad around," Logan said.</p><p>Kurt nodded slowly and then let out a breath. "Well," he said slowly, "if you and James tire of exhausting the boy…"</p><p>"Never," Logan said with a low laugh. "But if you want to hit a little sake before you go …"</p><p>"Well, since you asked," Kurt said with a smile before he teleported them both inside again.</p><p>"You look like you could use it," Logan said, though by that time, K was up, and she made a point to give both of them a kiss on the cheek.</p><p>"Is there a disaster I should be made aware of, or is this a disaster I already know about?" she asked.</p><p>Kurt smiled at her. "Simply something I needed to bring to Logan's attention."</p><p>"Hmm," she replied before she pulled out the sake cups. "It's about dinnertime at home, right?"</p><p>"Yes," he said with a smile. "But not yet — we're waiting for Kari to finish what she is working on. Annie asked her to do a sketch for their twentieth anniversary, and Kari is of course knee-deep in it."</p><p>"Inspired no doubt by the pictures James sent," K said with a nod. "Make sure Kari knows there are more if she needs them."</p><p>Kurt blinked at K in surprise for a moment and then laughed. "I'll let her know."</p><p>Logan handed Kurt the sake cup and picked up his own. "We won't be more than another week or so. It'll be fine."</p><p>"I'm sure it will be," Kurt said. "They are beautiful photographs."</p><p>James came out while they were still sharing a drink and stopped when he saw Kurt, only to smirk to himself as he came to stand next to him. "You need more pictures for Kari, don't you?"</p><p>"No, no, I am drinking sake with your parents. Kari is currently working on an anniversary present for the Summerses anyway."</p><p>James looked him up and down, the smirk stretching into a smile. "It's no trouble. Really."</p><p>Kurt shook his head at James. "Kari appreciates them."</p><p>"I might just have some other ones for you too," James said.</p><p>Kurt finally had to let out a laugh. "Fine, James, that's fine."</p><p>James was grinning wickedly. "Oh, yeah. I got one you need." He headed off toward the other end of the table to get some tea, chuckling to himself the whole way.</p><p>Logan watched for a moment and then turned to Kurt slowly. "No idea where he gets it from."</p><p>"It's a mystery," Kurt said dryly.</p><p>As Kurt set his sake cup down, his phone chimed, and all of the ferals already awake looked to Kurt — wearing nearly identical smirks. Kurt raised an eyebrow at the group of them and then let out a scoffing noise when he looked down at the pictures of Krissy and Sying dancing on the ceiling of the hangar.</p><p>He looked up at James, then back down at his phone, and shook his head. "You are trouble," he told James at last.</p><p>"Just trying to make sure you know things are improving for her. She's having fun," James said.</p><p>"Yes, well, I appreciate your intentions."</p><p>"Jubilee is tickled," James continued. "Noh too."</p><p>"Doubtless Kate will be as well," Kurt said with a small smile. He shook his head at James and then smiled at Logan. "I have to round up dinner for my family."</p><p>"Go to Australia?" Logan chuckled.</p><p>Kurt gave him a dry look before he simply disappeared, leaving the three Howletts at the table still laughing to themselves.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Stop Being Such a Slowpoke</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>FLUFF EVERYWHERE</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Lee twins were in excellent moods as they came back from Australia — and this time, so were their brothers. Krissy and Ael had proven to be the perfect team-up to surround the girls with boys their age at the beach, and between them, they had both honestly enjoyed all of the beach parties and such that they had been invited to.</p><p>Sying was shaking his head at Krissy as he watched his two sisters going back and forth on who they thought the cuter boys were and then leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You spent the whole trip setting up my <em>sisters</em>. As a big brother, I feel like I should be upset," he pointed out.</p><p>"Oh, come on," Krissy said, wrinkling her nose at him. "They needed it, and you know it."</p><p>"Well… yes… but I still feel like I'm obligated to be offended, somehow."</p><p>"Then I'm just going to have to pretend that I'm sorry, because I'm not at all," Krissy pointed out.</p><p>"Well, you are a good actress," Sying agreed.</p><p>Krissy grinned for a moment before she heard the telepathic prompt from Celeste to <em>just kiss him already </em>and couldn't help but laugh before she disappeared with Sying, leaving the girls and Ael shaking their heads.</p><p>Of course, they weren't the only ones getting back from a trip, either, and as soon as Ael saw that Malin was back with her family, he grinned and ran over to her to show her his newest collections of sea creatures and shells and pictures from the diving adventure with the underwater camera he got for his birthday.</p><p>"Dad won't take me on a night dive yet, but he said once I'm thirteen he'll consider it, since that's when people can join the X-Men, and I told him if you're old enough to join the team, you're old enough to night dive, right?" Ael said, grinning as he showed her all that he had from the trip.</p><p>"I think, being the cutest Kree on the planet, you should be able to get away with a little more," Elin said.</p><p>Ael couldn't help but grin, though he also had to point out, "I'm the <em>only </em>Kree on the planet… besides Dad…but he's from a different Hala... and I guess Teddy's half-Kree."</p><p>"That you know of," she said, crouching down. "There could be more."</p><p>"I guess," he said, nodding to himself.</p><p>"I brought you something from Japan," she told him.</p><p>He wrinkled his nose at her. "I'm <em>not </em>eating any sushi."</p><p>She smiled wider. "No… just <em>dagashi </em>and some bubble soda. All sweet."</p><p>At that, Ael had to smile and give her a quick hug. "Thank you," he said warmly. "I really didn't want anything that used to be living in the ocean."</p><p>"I know, and we wouldn't do that to you — that's why Dad made sure that your mom took you to the best noodle cart in the city first," Elin pointed out.</p><p>Ael shrugged his shoulders up to his ears. "Okay," he said, though he still had an eyebrow raised her way.</p><p>She offered him her hand. "Your new backpack has all of the <em>dagashi </em>in it — and there is a whole case of bubble soda with your name on it." She let her voice drop low. "The backpack looks like a blowfish."</p><p>Ael broke into a huge grin at that. "That sounds amazing," he said as he let her lead him over to where the sweets were, though the twins were following in their wake with little grins.</p><p>"Didja bring us anything?" Melody asked.</p><p>"Don't I always?" Elin asked. "I got Melody a bunch of gum, and Celeste, you got the weird Kit-Kats you always ask for."</p><p>"Because you love me," Celeste said with a grin.</p><p>"Yep, that's it — and I didn't know what size you were wearing, so I couldn't get you the shoes I found."</p><p>"And that is just a <em>crime</em>," Celeste said, shaking her head.</p><p>"We'd have told you if you asked," Melody added.</p><p>"I didn't have my phone on me when I found them," Elin said.</p><p>Melody broke into a sly grin. "Oh, sure. It wasn't at all because you were distracted by a cute boy, right?"</p><p>"I wasn't that distracted," Elin said with a shrug.</p><p>"Really?" Celeste looked almost disappointed as she perched herself on the back of a chair.</p><p>"Nothing to tell, so get that look off your face," Elin said.</p><p>"I can't help it; this is the face I always make when people tell me they spent <em>all that time in Japan </em>and there's 'nothing to tell'," Celeste replied.</p><p>"It's probably just how they all tell stories," Melody added. "You know. We showed up. We fought. They lost. That's it."</p><p>"Yeah, but come <em>on</em>," Celeste said, fixing Elin with her most pleading look. "We're talking about you and Chance here."</p><p>"Which … is pretty much the match of the century," Melody had to agree, slowly smiling Elin's way.</p><p>"And has slowly been <em>killing </em>us with how long it took you both to get together," Celeste added.</p><p>Elin raised an eyebrow their way. "Well … I don't know what to tell you. You might do better to ask him."</p><p>"Yeah, but you're the one who's right here," Celeste said.</p><p>"And we don't really need to <em>ask </em>him," Melody pointed out. "We <em>know </em>things, Elin."</p><p>"That is both unethical and wrong in about sixteen other ways," Elin said. "Don't sneak into people's thoughts."</p><p>Celeste held a hand to her heart. "We're not <em>sneaking</em>."</p><p>"He's <em>projecting</em>," Melody explained. "All the time. Nonstop."</p><p>"It's like the 24-hour Bliss Parade," Celeste giggled.</p><p>"Charlie's in <em>heaven</em>," Melody added.</p><p>Elin frowned at them. "You're all cracked."</p><p>"We are not," Melody said.</p><p>"It's not even an exaggeration," Celeste agreed.</p><p>"Okay, whatever you say," Elin said as she handed them their boxes of sweets and stepped between them.</p><p>Celeste and Melody shared a look and then rushed to catch up to Elin before she could get too far, taking an arm apiece. "Okay," Melody said, "we can't read your mind, so we don't know what's up, so please, whatever it is, can't you tell us?"</p><p>"I'm not talking about anything with you two," Elin said flatly. "Not about that."</p><p>"Why not?" Celeste asked, her lower lip out in a pout.</p><p>"Because you both act like ten-year-olds."</p><p>"You're only, like, three years off," Celeste said, shaking her head.</p><p>"Please?" Melody put in, hanging off of Elin's arm. "We just had to spend all this time with Krissy and Sying doing that thing…"</p><p>"...where they look at each other and don't even say anything…"</p><p>"...and even <em>non-telepaths </em>know what they're doing."</p><p>"It's ridiculous," Celeste finished.</p><p>"Really … there isn't anything to tell, guys," Elin said.</p><p>The girls glanced at each other, and Melody bit her lip before she ventured, "But you totally want there to be… right?"</p><p>"Oh my God, go get a boyfriend of your own, please," Elin said, wrinkling up her nose.</p><p>"We met some cute ones in Australia," Celeste admitted.</p><p>"Nice to look at but not a brain between them," Melody giggled.</p><p>"So you're engaged, then?" Elin said with a sweet smile.</p><p>The girls laughed and shook their heads in tandem. "Of course not," Celeste said.</p><p>"Are you?" Melody teased.</p><p>Elin rolled her eyes. "Yah, no."</p><p>"He should get on that," Melody giggled.</p><p>"I don't think that's in the cards," Elin said, continuing on her way.</p><p>"Umm, are you Vanessa? Or Wiccan?" Celeste asked.</p><p>"No ... " Elin said, shaking her head again. "But that usually means that there's an escalation."</p><p>"Well, Grampa Wolvie <em>is </em>kind of scary," Celeste pointed out.</p><p>"No, he's not," Elin laughed. "And it's not like we were with him the whole time or anything."</p><p>The girls glanced at each other over Elin's shoulders. <em>I mean… do we intervene? </em>Celeste asked.</p><p><em>Got to. It's, like, a moral prerogative, </em>Melody said seriously.</p><p>
  <em>You just want to be a bridesmaid.</em>
</p><p><em>I really, really want to be a bridesmaid, </em>Melody agreed, which got Celeste to giggle and turn to Elin.</p><p>"Melody says she wants to be a bridesmaid."</p><p>"HEY."</p><p>"Then I guess you better be on good terms with Krissy," Elin shot back without missing a beat.</p><p>"Um, Krissy loves us," Melody pointed out.</p><p>"But you do have a good point," Celeste said, nodding along. "I mean, Krissy and Sying <em>are </em>doing that thing where they're turning into our parents."</p><p>"Ugh. That is not a mental image I need right now, Celeste," Melody said.</p><p>"Blame Elin; she's the one that brought it up."</p><p>"Elin, you're fired," Melody told her.</p><p>"Probably," Elin said with a shrug.</p><p>The twins shook their heads before they simply grinned and attacked Elin from either side, planting a kiss on each cheek. "Bye, Aunt Elin," Melody said.</p><p>"Thanks for the candy!" Celeste added as the two of them zipped off.</p><p>They didn't even make any pretenses about the fact that they were going to <em>fix </em>the situation, either, as they simply found where Chance was unpacking his suitcase from the trip, grabbed an arm apiece, and carried him off so they could have a word with him outside.</p><p>"What is even <em>happening </em>right now?" Chance asked, wide-eyed, as he finally pulled his arms back from the girls.</p><p>The twins grinned at each other and then him. "You'll thank us later," Celeste assured him.</p><p>"But we had to step in," Melody added.</p><p>"Because if we didn't, this would take <em>even longer </em>than necessary, and it's already been painful enough as it is."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" Chance asked, shaking his head and rubbing his arms where they had grabbed hold.</p><p>"You and Elin!" Melody said, as if it should have been perfectly obvious.</p><p>"Oh, okay," Chance said. He couldn't help but smile at the two of them. "Look, I already got the protective nephew routine from Sying, and Logan made it pretty clear-"</p><p>"No, no, no, no, no," Melody said, quickly, in an unbroken line of 'no's. "You don't understand. We're trying to <em>help you</em>."</p><p>"I think I'm doing fine on my own, thanks," Chance said, though when he went to step around Melody, she held out a hand at his shoulder to stop him.</p><p>"Trust us on this one," Celeste advised him. "You're moving too slow."</p><p>Chance stopped and dropped his head a bit. "Wait, wait," he said. "Are you… telling me that you <em>want </em>me to — with your <em>aunt</em>—"</p><p>The girls glanced at each other and wrinkled their noses in tandem. "Well, don't <em>tell </em>us about it," Melody said.</p><p>"We're, like, thirteen," Celeste agreed.</p><p>"I just want to be a bridesmaid!" Melody added.</p><p>"Woah, hey, wow, okay, we went too fast there," Chance said, holding up both hands quickly. "Can you maybe try not to get ahead of yourself?"</p><p>"Well, don't you like her?" Melody asked.</p><p>"Well, yeah—"</p><p>"Don't you <em>love </em>her, is what she meant to ask," Celeste put in.</p><p>Chance stared between the two girls. "Well, yeah," he said very slowly. "What is this, an interrogation?"</p><p>"No, it's an <em>intervention</em>. Pay attention," Melody said, rapping him lightly on the side of the head.</p><p>"She thinks you don't like her that much," Celeste explained. "Because, you know, in <em>our </em>family, actions speak louder than words."</p><p>"And you have very sweet, Sweet Summers words," Melody assured him quickly.</p><p>"But you're totally missing the train here."</p><p>"And we are sick and tired of <em>dying </em>with the two of you being ridiculous like you are," Melody added.</p><p>"So it would just be better for everyone involved if you both got on the same page," Celeste said.</p><p>Chance let out a disbelieving laugh as he looked between the two of them. "So you dragged me all the way out here to tell me to stop acting the way I was raised and being polite."</p><p>"Uh, no. Just up your game," Celeste said.</p><p>"Just friendly advice," Melody said with a sweet smile.</p><p>"Uh-huh." Chance shook his head between the two of them before he ran a hand through his hair. "Alright. Both of you are ridiculous."</p><p>"We've heard that a few times," Celeste nodded.</p><p>"But we're also right," Melody said.</p><p>He shook his head, but the second he started to smirk to himself, the girls started giggling. "Okay, have fun!" Celeste called out as she and her sister disappeared and left Chance in the middle of the rose garden - since clearly, their work was done, and besides, they had candy to eat.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. A Night Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>MORE FLUFF!!!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Logan had just gotten half-settled from the Japan trip and was once again out in the garage with a cold beer, ready to get into yet another oil change on the Harley. He was frowning at the motor, wondering to himself what exactly he could do to make this one last a little longer, but with as many miles as it had, and for as many repairs as he'd done … it was about time to find a replacement. He just really hated to do it. So instead of changing the oil like he'd planned, he simply cracked open the can in his hand and crossed his arms to stare at the bike for a while.</p><p>"You know, I'm pretty sure you'd know by now if you had telekinesis," Scott said as he came into the garage with a smirk.</p><p>Logan looked up and shook his head at that. "Yeah … that's not what I'm doing, but nice guess. What's on your mind, Slim?"</p><p>"I need a favor," Scott said, his arms crossed as he leaned against the doorway.</p><p>"Sure thing," Logan said, turning his way. "Name it."</p><p>"I know Annie and I just took a break at the start of summer, but the anniversary's coming up, and we were able to get a booking in Savannah so she can spend some time back home," Scott started to explain.</p><p>Logan smirked a little, already nodding his head. "Have fun."</p><p>"It's just that I promised Annie I would cut off anything but emergency contact so we couldn't be interrupted, so it would all be on you," Scott explained.</p><p>Logan paused for just a moment but was nodding along. "Okay."</p><p>"Yeah, I know. But it's twenty years," Scott said with an almost sheepish look that Logan didn't see often.</p><p>"You've earned it," Logan said.</p><p>Scott tipped his head to the side for a moment and then let out a breath and nodded. "Anyway, we leave at the end of July, so you've got some time. Just wanted to give you a heads up…"</p><p>"I'm sure it'll be alright," Logan said, nodding to himself. "I've got Storm and Kitty to fall back on if it goes south."</p><p>"You'll be fine," Scott said, shaking his head. "Besides, I need to lean on you more anyway," he added after a long moment's pause that was accentuated by the cane he still sometimes used when his knee was hurting.</p><p>Logan watched him for a few moments, trying to find a way to get the conversation to a place that Scott might actually <em>talk</em>. "What's really on your mind, Scott?"</p><p>Scott frowned for a good long time before he finally nodded to himself and leaned back slightly. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not … I <em>can't </em>run all the missions and the team the way I used to."</p><p>Logan took a moment before he finally looked away, nodding.</p><p>"I guess I always figured you'd end up taking over for me anyway, just…" Scott let out a breath and shook his head. "Not while I'm still alive."</p><p>"S'funny," Logan said. "I always figured you'd run it long after I wasn't around."</p><p>"Not everyone lives as long as you do," Scott said.</p><p>"Yeah, well, I never expected to make it anywhere near this far."</p><p>Scott frowned at Logan and fell silent for a while. "Huh," he said at last. He tipped his head to the side and watched Logan for another moment. "Anyway… the new team's graduating into the senior team, and I know they'll all follow you no problem."</p><p>"You're still running remote, right?"</p><p>Scott smirked. "Logan, I'll be doing everything I can to help. Probably be running remote from my deathbed at this point."</p><p>"You better."</p><p>Scott nodded at that, turned to leave, then paused. "I'll be honest," he said in a slow, metered voice. "I always figured <em>you'd </em>outlive me. Never thought there'd <em>be </em>a twentieth anniversary for me."</p><p>"Let's not make a contest out of it, alright?" Logan teased.</p><p>Scott smirked. "Just so long as you make it to your twentieth too," he said.</p><p>"Pretty sure she'd raise me up just to slap the crap outta me otherwise," Logan pointed out with a smirk of his own.</p><p>"Yeah, mine would probably do the same thing," Scott said, shaking his head. "Thanks, Logan."</p><p>"Anytime, Slim."</p><hr/><p>"Let's go out tonight," Chance said, leaning over Elin's chair at breakfast to give her a kiss as soon as he'd said it.</p><p>"Got something in mind?" she asked, smiling up at him slightly.</p><p>"I was thinking about an evening ride out to the lake, and after that, I was thinking about a fire and some peanut butter s'mores and some fireflies and a blanket to sleep under the stars," he said. "It's summer. Let's <em>do </em>summer."</p><p>She smirked a little wider. "Al-right," she said slowly.</p><p>"Great," he said, settling down into the seat next to her over his breakfast.</p><p>She smiled and turned his way. "What time are we meeting up then, Romeo? Or are you just going to come and find me?"</p><p>"I was thinking I'd surprise you," he said with a smile of his own. "Because it's hard to do. You'll hear me coming, of course, but hey, a pity squeak of surprise might stroke my ego," he teased.</p><p>She couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "I'll do my best," she said.</p><p>He grinned and kissed her cheek, though he disappeared after breakfast and left Elin shaking her head at his good mood.</p><p>"So, you're smiling and it's barely breakfast. Must be something good," Krissy said when she finally came down.</p><p>"We'll see," Elin said. "What about you, little miss good mood? Have you been terribly tied up?"</p><p>Krissy grinned at her friend. "Well, I may have been spending all day with Sying lately," she admitted. She leaned forward. "I love him, Elin. I really do," she added in a whisper.</p><p>"And here I am … eating up your time with him," she teased. "I suppose it would be an imposition to get you to spend some time at the pool with me today?"</p><p>"Not at all," Krissy said, seizing Elin's arm to go ahead and teleport off with her, dropping Elin off first before she teleported off and appeared a few moments later with their bathing suits in hand so they could change where all the pool toys were stored.</p><p>"So you <em>didn't </em>get enough time at the beach," she laughed before she simply started to change.</p><p>"Um, is there such a thing?" Krissy asked. "Besides, it's so <em>hot</em>."</p><p>"You're asking the girl that prefers the woods and the lake," Elin said.</p><p>"Yeah, well, I'm covered in fur, and I like to be cool, and water helps," Krissy pointed out.</p><p>"Yet … you don't like to go into the snow for long periods with me," Elin said, pulling her hair up off of her shoulders.</p><p>"There's this wonderful happy medium in, like, April and May that's my <em>favorite </em>time of year."</p><p>"And again in like … October…"</p><p>"Yes, this is true. And that just so happens to be my man's birthday. Lookit that."</p><p>Elin started to laugh at her. "I'm having trouble equating those words to the person I know you're talking about."</p><p>"<em>My man</em>?" Krissy asked with fluttering eyelashes and a wicked grin.</p><p>"Yes, that one."</p><p>"My handsome, gorgeous man?" Krissy said, the grin only widening.</p><p>Elin started laughing and shoved Krissy by the shoulder. "Yes. That very one."</p><p>"And does it <em>bother you </em>that I'm so very much in love with him?" Krissy giggled.</p><p>"No... Not at all. You just go ahead and drool all over him."</p><p>"I feel like you should be more protective," Krissy pointed out.</p><p>"I feel like he's a big boy and can handle himself just fine," Elin argued.</p><p>"Okay." Krissy grinned at Elin as her tail swayed easily behind her. "What about you? Should I be protective of… I'm not even sure who I should be protective of here."</p><p>"I think you're safe," Elin said. "On both counts."</p><p>"Well that's good, because I still haven't decided which side I'd side on," she teased. "You know Melody wants to be a bridesmaid? She informed me that one of us has to pick her and she doesn't care who and I pointed out we're, you know, <em>seventeen </em>and that didn't even seem to <em>phase </em>that girl."</p><p>"She's … insane. And high on sugar. Sorry about that. I gave her and Celeste cheesecake Kit-Kats."</p><p>"Well, you know, look at the source," Krissy pointed out. She shook her head. "As long as she doesn't get my papa involved, because if you want to see someone who gets excited over weddings…"</p><p>"I still think we're still safe, honestly," Elin said.</p><p>"Yeah, but I'm warning you now about the bit pouty lips and the Bambi eyes from your niece."</p><p>"I've seen them. I'm immune."</p><p>"Teach me your ways, oh best friend of mine."</p><p>Elin laughed and linked arms with her. "Let's float … then we just ignore the girls."</p><p>"I'm totally in favor," Krissy said, grinning as they headed down to the pool.</p><p>"So, really," Elin said once the two of them were indeed floating in the pool. "When are you two making your announcement?"</p><p>Krissy let out a little giggle. "You're hilarious."</p><p>Elin smirked to herself. "Well. Someone needs to tease a little … but just a little." She paused and smiled wider. "I brought you some pickled plums to go with the pickles."</p><p>"That's not even funny, and just for that, I'm making Kari my maid of honor, so there," Krissy said, sticking her tongue out at Elin.</p><p>"As if you weren't going to anyhow," Elin laughed.</p><p>"No, it was going to be you and you're just … you shot yourself in the foot."</p><p>"Oh darn," Elin said flatly. "I won't have to wear a floofy dress in a pirate parade …"</p><p>"I didn't say you weren't going to be a <em>bridesmaid</em>," Krissy laughed. "In this theoretical wedding in the future. Why are we even talking about this?"</p><p>"You brought it up," Elin said with a shrug. "I figured you had it on your mind. And seeing as you're already plotting out who's going to be in your lineup..."</p><p>"Oh please, I've had that plotted out since I was <em>ten</em>."</p><p>"You're ridiculous," Elin breathed out.</p><p>"I'm Catholic?" Krissy pointed out.</p><p>"So … you're plotting out a dozen white-haired Kree cutie pies?"</p><p>"Oh, wow, okay, we should maybe be, you know, able to… <em>do </em>that first, calm down!"</p><p>Elin started laughing outright, especially when the first splash of water hit her from Krissy's tail. "I … am just pointing out that you're hiding behind 'Catholic.'"</p><p>"And I'm also the daughter of the guy who does <em>all the weddings</em>. You know that, right?"</p><p>"I've heard rumors," Elin said, nodding.</p><p>"So if you think I haven't heard my party-planning mother and my officiant father plan weddings since I was a <em>kid </em>and thought about what I'd do for my own…"</p><p>Elin turned her way with a frown. "Who do they think they're planning for?"</p><p>"Well, Kate has high hopes that Leslie Ann will actually meet someone nice… that's been planned for <em>ever </em>and involves lots and lots of flowers…"</p><p>"Of course it does," Elin said in a sigh.</p><p>"Plus, remember Erik and May?"</p><p>"I do," she said, nodding. "But … we have all day? So … can we not talk about a bunch of weddings? I mean … freaking me out. I know your mom is the party genius … but…."</p><p>"Yeah, no, I'm with you," Krissy assured her. "I was just <em>teasing </em>and it got out of hand and oh my gosh Ellie I can't even… Sying and I can kiss but we so can't… yeah, no."</p><p>"Yeah, let's just not," Elin agreed. "So maybe not … anything with boys?"</p><p>"Okay, well, my birthday is in, like, two months. We can make plans for that?"</p><p>"We should," she agreed. "What do you want to do?"</p><p>"Honestly, I've done lots of swimming and at the beach stuff, and I really just want to spend some time with all of my friends at a bonfire or something."</p><p>"Well … we can maybe just leave or something if you want to get out of the water," Elin said. "We didn't really do too much around the water in Japan."</p><p>"No?" Krissy looked surprised. "But Japan's always fun."</p><p>"It is," she said, tipping her head to the side. "But … well. It was fine."</p><p>Krissy watched Elin for a long moment and then let out a breath. "Okay, we're veering into forbidden boy territory again."</p><p>"No, we're not," Elin said, shaking her head.</p><p>"I'm just trying very hard not to point out that this was a trip <em>with Chance</em>…"</p><p>"Not talking about boys."</p><p>"Okay." Krissy swam toward the ladder and climbed out. "Does it count as talking about boys if I tell you that I want a brother, though?"</p><p>"No, that's okay. That's sibling talk," Elin decided.</p><p>"Well, my parents both want a little girl, but honestly, I love my brothers, and Kade… I don't know. Maybe it's 'cause I ported with him, but I have always considered Kade <em>mine</em>, if that makes sense."</p><p>"He's so totally yours," Elin agreed.</p><p>"And I guess I just… I want another one like that. If I'm getting another baby sibling…."</p><p>"You know … it's just interesting?" Elin said. "I mean … you are hoping for another brother, and you kind of have your pick — but, you know, it's like an impending thing with us. Dad just hasn't shelved the idea of more siblings." She held up both hands. "Which … fine. But. I just hope you remember that even if you get what you want - you might not get what you want."</p><p>"Your dad is probably never going to stop, so I hope you're okay with the never-ending family," Krissy pointed out.</p><p>"He is not," she laughed. "And I'm fine — it makes him happy."</p><p>Krissy grinned. "Yeah, it makes my dad happy too. Mom too — especially this time because she doesn't have to give up her bow."</p><p>"You act like my mom ever gave up much," Elin said. "Or that your mom <em>really </em>gave up the bow."</p><p>"Well, Mama was frustrated when Kade was coming and she couldn't even <em>hold </em>her bow."</p><p>"Didn't she use a crossbow for a while? Just to do it?"</p><p>"Yeah, and she complained that it wasn't the <em>same</em> — which it's <em>not</em>."</p><p>"No, it's really not," Elin agreed. "Still. Little brother or sister …"</p><p>"I mean, I'd love 'em either way," Krissy said. "It would be weird, though… no tail."</p><p>"I knew you couldn't ever fully love me," Elin said with her hand over her heart.</p><p>"It's a real hardship," Krissy giggled.</p><p>Eventually, the girls headed in, though, if only because they were hungry. Krissy ended up being entirely sidetracked by the fact that Kade and Kaleb both were having an intense water fight with the bamfs — and once Kade recruited her to his side, there was no stopping that.</p><p>But it wasn't until after dinner that Elin saw Chance again as she finished helping Annie clean up after the meal. She had just stepped out of the kitchen when he caught her and simply swept her up into his arms to carry her, grinning at her widely. "So… what do you think of riding off into the sunset with me?"</p><p>She smiled at him, clearly not expecting his 'hello'. "Alright, lead on." Though she made a point to lean forward and steal a kiss. "What's got into you?"</p><p>"What, I can't sweep a girl off her feet? You doubt me, El."</p><p>"I … did not say that," she said, chuckling to herself.</p><p>"Sure, sure," he said, though he didn't put her down either as they headed out toward the barn. "And I may also be a little bit showing off. I mean, three weeks ago, I couldn't carry you off like this. You gotta be impressed, right?" he teased.</p><p>"Is that way of saying I needed to lose a few?" she asked with a laugh.</p><p>He laughed. "No, El, but your attempt to evade stroking my ego is hilarious."</p><p>She pulled herself closer to give him another kiss. "You big, strong, he-man, you. What would I ever do without you?"</p><p>"See, now it just sounds ridiculous when you say it like that," he said, though he couldn't help but grin at her.</p><p>"Am I properly swooning yet?" Elin asked, leaning her head against his shoulder.</p><p>"Why, yes, Miss Kitty," he teased.</p><p>She was laughing to herself by the time they got down to the barn. "Alright, cowboy … you're leading this rodeo."</p><p>He grinned and set her down. "Horses are ready to go," he told her. "And there's some blankets out by the lake for sunset-and-star-gazing."</p><p>"Well, what are we waiting for?" Elin asked.</p><p>Chance simply went to his favorite mare to head out with Elin - and, of course, he couldn't help but race her out there, either, stopping at a nice, quiet spot with a good view of the lake as well as the sunset as the sky started to change colors.</p><p>"So, I gotta tell you," Chance said as they tied up the horses to a picket line nearby, "I'm really struggling with the whole… there are so many easy lines here about the view, and I don't want to get repetitive or cheesy."</p><p>"You already know I'll shut you up if I have to," Elin pointed out.</p><p>"Yeah, but that doesn't make me want to use the cheesy lines any less," he pointed out.</p><p>She nodded to herself. "Yes. I can see my lack of planning there," she said with a smile. "Or do I?"</p><p>Chance just kept grinning at her and then picked her up again to kiss her deeply until he set her down on the grass … and kept going.</p><hr/><p>It was hard to do anything like sleeping in when the forest by the lake woke up with the sun, though Chance was in too good of a mood for that to get him down anyway. He was laid out on the blanket near the lake with Elin, and if he had his way, he'd stay right there and never do anything else.</p><p>Elin was probably better used to sleeping in this kind of atmosphere, considering the camping trips she went on with her family, though Chance didn't see how she could manage it, especially since, not long into the morning, they could hear some of the younger kids in the mansion screaming and playing and laughing.</p><p>But he'd picked the spot pretty well, he was sure, and nobody was going to come bother them for a while, so instead of trying to go back to sleep or packing up to head back to the mansion, he decided to kiss Elin at the nape of her neck and just behind her ear as she started to slowly wake up too.</p><p>She smiled to herself before she opened her eyes and took her time getting into a long stretch before she turned to kiss him. "So, I take it you're alright with camping, then, huh?"</p><p>"It's not so bad," he said. "But you know that's not the reason I'm in a good mood," he added with a crooked grin.</p><p>"No?" she asked.</p><p>His grin widened. "Pretty sure waking up with you… best thing ever."</p><p>"Very little is missing," she agreed. "But you know … coffee would be good, I think."</p><p>He nodded slowly but had to kiss her again anyway. "Yes, I <em>guess </em>we could go back," he teased.</p><p>"Not what I was thinking," she said with a shrug. "I was leaning more of going out for coffee … they'll be fine without us for a little while. Unless you really <em>want </em>to go back right away."</p><p>"And miss out on spending time with you?" Chance asked with one eyebrow raised. "You must still be half-asleep."</p><p>"Well, I was pretty comfortable." She gave him a little smile and pulled him over to curl up again.</p><p>And, of course, Chance wasn't going to complain about that either, just grinning and kissing her occasionally until it had been long enough that they really <em>were </em>in danger of one of the bamfs crashing their morning while they were playing with Kade and Kaleb.</p><p>Chance finally got up and offered Elin a hand up that turned into another kiss and then grinned at her. "You are just… I'm never gonna get over how amazing you are, El."</p><p>"Goes both ways, Sweet Summers."</p><p>He grinned even wider at that. "So, you said something about coffee, right?"</p><p>She nodded her head and took the handful of steps to where the horses were picketed out. "Yep. I'll drive this time, if you don't mind."</p><p>"Fine by me," he said with a little nod.</p><p>The two of them mounted up and headed back at a much more leisurely pace than they'd headed out the night before, and once the horses were put away and the gear put up, they went up to the house — simply to grab a set of keys and leave. But, naturally, nothing was going to be quite that easy.</p><p>When they got up to the garage, Logan was polishing up the chrome on the bike and watching the two of them approach with his eyes narrowed slightly.</p><p>Elin gave him a bright, easy smile. "We're headed out to coffee — do you need anything?"</p><p>Logan simply seemed to glare her way for a moment before his focus shifted to Chance for just a bit longer than he'd watched Elin, and after an extended bit of silence, he simply shook his head lightly and pointedly went back to what he was doing. "Nope. Don't be stupid."</p><p>She smiled slightly wider and turned Chance's way. "You're in charge of the radio, navigator."</p><p>Chance looked stunned as he looked between Elin and Logan before he very slowly nodded and even started to get back his smile as he followed her to the truck.</p><p>As soon as the two of them were gone in the truck to head out for coffee, Logan sat back on the creeper seat and flat gave up trying to focus on the chrome. He rubbed one hand over his face and headed back inside, more than a little agitated but sure that there wasn't a thing he could do to change <em>anything </em>that was going on.</p><p>He headed into the kitchen, where Annie was reading an Agatha Christie novel while she waited for the oven timer to go off, so he could wash his hands, though his thoughts were definitely elsewhere.</p><p>Annie looked up from her book and smiled at Logan lightly. "Something on your mind?"</p><p>"Nope."</p><p>"Mmm." She watched him for a moment with her lips pressed together and then shook her head. "Alright, but that means you can't get onto the kids for lying if you're going to do it."</p><p>"This is one of those 'lying for a solid reason' moments," Logan said without turning her way.</p><p>Annie nodded slowly. "When did the kids get back?"</p><p>"Little bit ago — headed out for coffee," he replied.</p><p>She smiled at that. "I've never seen him so happy, Logan."</p><p>He didn't really respond more than a quiet, non-verbal sound that perfectly expressed how much it wasn't on his list of concerns at the moment.</p><p>"She's wonderful," Annie said, her smile growing a bit warmer. "And… if you need it, you know I'll kill him if he's anything but good to her. You wouldn't even have to lift a finger," she added, this time with a bit of tease to her tone.</p><p>"Don't think that angle would make me feel any better," Logan said as he turned her way finally. "I'm headed sublevel."</p><p>She nodded and then reached over to squeeze his arm. "Thank you," she said softly.</p><p>"Didn't do anything for you to thank me," Logan said with a small shrug before he headed out to spend some time wrecking things in the Danger Room.</p><hr/><p>"Okay, so you're in a good mood," Krissy said. She was wrangling Kade to head down to the pool, and it looked like Chance was headed inside from some outdoor summer fun, and he couldn't stop <em>grinning</em>, so she knew it had to be good.</p><p>"Things are just falling into place, that's all," Chance said with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders shrugged up to his ears, though Krissy wasn't going to fall for that in the least and teleported over to him, grabbed him by the arm, and teleported out to the garden swing.</p><p>"Spill."</p><p>"Geez, can't a guy just be happy?" Chance laughed, but Krissy was already shaking her head.</p><p>"You have. No. Poker face," she informed him, poking him in the chest with every word. "At all."</p><p>"If that's true, then what do you need me to spill?" he pointed out with a crooked smile.</p><p>Krissy let out a noise of frustration and shoved him in the shoulder. "You're so not funny. And you have been spending way too much time with Ellie."</p><p>"Yes. Yes, I have," Chance said, the grin widening even more.</p><p>Krissy paused and looked him over for a moment and then simply shook her head. "Well, it's about time."</p><p>"O...kay, not the reaction that I was expecting, but-"</p><p>"-but the reaction you're going to keep getting," Krissy interrupted him, matching his smile with one of her own. "Seriously, Chance, you and Elin are pretty much the worst-kept secret in the history of anything ever."</p><p>"Uh, thanks?"</p><p>Krissy laughed. "It just means anyone with eyes can see how you feel about her."</p><p>"Like you're one to talk," he pointed out with a smirk.</p><p>"I have <em>never </em>claimed to have a poker face. I'm the dramatic one, remember? Everyone always knows where I am and what I think."</p><p>"True that," Chance laughed. He leaned back in the swing with an easy smile. "I think it's great," he said. "You and Sying always look like you're walking on the moon whenever I see you."</p><p>"He's pretty amazing," she had to agree.</p><p>"Don't leave yourself out of that, Kris," he pointed out.</p><p>She grinned at him. "You're sweet."</p><p>"Been told that a few times, yeah," he said. "But I'm also right."</p><p>"Not arguing that," she said with a smile.</p><p>"How're you two…"</p><p>"Great!" Krissy said, her smile wide. "Really. I mean, it's gotta be, because his sisters keep dropping not-so-subtle bridesmaid hints, and I'm not even out of high school."</p><p>"Like you're any better," he pointed out. "You and Kari both were ridiculous when my cousin got married."</p><p>"It's sweet!"</p><p>"Yeah, I know," he said, grinning and shaking his head at her. "I'm just saying you can't really talk."</p><p>Krissy shook her head right back as she hopped to her feet. "You're going to be impossible to live with now, aren't you?"</p><p>"Hey, I'm not even sorry. And Charlie's already told me we need to go on a sibling date so she can mooch on my mood."</p><p>"And like a good brother, you agreed," Krissy said, then shook her head at him. "So sweet."</p><p>"You said that."</p><p>"I did." She grinned at him and reached over to squeeze his arm. "Have fun with Charlie."</p><p>"You headed out?"</p><p>"Ael and I are dunking the twins in the pool. Jubilee agreed to help us mask our thoughts so they think we're just hanging out."</p><p>Chance smirked. "Who've you got on pictures?"</p><p>"Well, Kari asked James…"</p><p>"Great. I wanna see when I get back," he said.</p><p>"Oh, they're getting framed," she promised before she disappeared in a poof of purple.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Paradise Interrupted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the fluff stops now</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a week later when Magda turned 17 and the kids were all invited to a beachside party in Hawaii, where everyone was having a blast surfing, playing on the beach and just generally having fun at the luau.</p><p>It was a great opportunity for the kids to do something different — and the Summers kids were all enjoying the fact that Alex <em>always </em>bent over backward to be the cool uncle, which meant there was plenty of surfing. Though, as it turned out, since Vanessa was originally from the island, she and James mysteriously disappeared not long after the official part of the festivities were over.</p><p>Elin had been picking at Chance — not very aggressively, but picking all the same, just making a point to give him a look and quietly mutter "just sayin'" or "You're short on flowers," when he looked like he had gotten past the last round of picking.</p><p>Chance shook his head at her as he handed her one of his mom's cupcakes — which, of course, she had made for her niece's birthday, and they were all green. "You're going to get me in trouble," he teased.</p><p>"By suggesting you need more flowers?" Elin said with a perfectly reasonable smile.</p><p>"The lei'd joke was funny the first time, and now you're just picking," he shot back.</p><p>"You're still turning red, so … it's still funny," she said before she kissed his cheek.</p><p>"Oh, I see," he said, shaking his head at her. "So the joke was always about my face."</p><p>"The blush. Always about the blush," she said, smiling wider at him. "Come on … if you could have seen your expression …"</p><p>"You're hilarious," Chance said, grinning at her as he took a bite of the cupcake.</p><p>"I think it's time to cash in on your certificate," Elin said when she was sure he had a full mouth of frosting. "No flowers needed."</p><p>Chance swallowed hard and blinked at her for a moment before he almost coughed out a little, "Okay."</p><p>"Unless you don't want to," she said, holding up one hand.</p><p>But Chance was already shaking his head at that. "No, I'm there - where do you want to go?" he asked with a steadily growing smile.</p><p>"I … was thinking Alaska would be fun."</p><p>"Yeah, good idea. Camping while it's still something I can survive," he teased.</p><p>She smiled his way. "Oh, you'd survive it anyhow," she said. "But I was thinking about a cabin my folks have up there, not straight up sleeping in the dirt. It's cold enough up in the mountains that we'll want a fire at night anyhow."</p><p>"Sounds perfect to me," he agreed before he stole a kiss. "Just tell me when; I'm there."</p><p>"I'm told that these family functions should be seen through to the end …"</p><p>"We'll go after the party, then," he said, nodding along with her.</p><p>"You might just like the place," Elin said, leaning into him. "There's a lake view."</p><p>"El, I'd like any place you want to go with me."</p><p>She pulled him closer to give him a more involved kiss. "And you think I'm the troublemaker."</p><p>He grinned at her as he returned the kiss. "You are, but hey, I can almost keep up."</p><p>"I'd say you're more of a perpetrator than you'd like to admit."</p><p>"Hey, I thought we'd established that I was the big strong hero who never gets in trouble ever," he teased quietly.</p><p>"Oooh, right. I should brush up on my evil whatever," she agreed.</p><p>He just grinned at that. "Yeah, you should."</p><hr/><p>Even though they'd flown up to Alaska, the cabin that Logan had tucked away in the woods wasn't accessible to the <em>Shanghai, </em>and the two troublemakers had to hike the last ten miles to even get there.</p><p>"You're sure this isn't too far out for you, then?" Elin teased as they made it through the last little stretch of brush and bramble.</p><p>"Hey, I can keep up," Chance defended.</p><p>"I know," she said, grinning his way. "But it's worth it. I promise."</p><p>"Yeah, I'm not gonna complain about being tucked away with you and a few days of just…" He grinned her way. "Honestly, El, I could get used to this. Being with you all the time."</p><p>"We'll see how you feel in a few days," she laughed as finally — <em>finally </em>— the little cabin came into view. It was a small log cabin built up off of the ground within easy reach of a picturesque, crystal clear lake that looked like it stretched out all the way to the mountains nearby.</p><p>Chance grinned up at the cabin. "Wow, El."</p><p>"Wanna start up the fire, big, strong he-man?"</p><p>He couldn't help but laugh at her and steal a kiss. "Oh yeah. Me build fire. All that."</p><p>"Well, it's something to do … I'll shake out the blankets, I'm sure they're dusty," she said before she gave him a longer kiss and pushed the door to the cabin open. "It's been a long time since it was used."</p><p>The two of them settled in quickly, and they were curled up under a blanket with the fire crackling when the rain started to fall. "Good thing we weren't planning on hiking," Elin muttered as she curled in closer.</p><p>"We weren't?" he couldn't help but tease her.</p><p>"No … mountain climbing, not hiking, silly," she shot right back.</p><p>"Hey, maybe we can do that later," Chance said, though he had already started to kiss her anyway.</p><hr/><p>"Okay, but now that you've ordered that, I want it," Gerry said.</p><p>Charlie shook her head with a smile as she took a bite of her club sandwich. "You're the one who ordered the turkey on rye."</p><p>"Yeah, and now I want the club," Gerry said, leaning over to steal the half she didn't have in her hands and swap it for half of his. "Thank you very much, Lottie; you're so generous."</p><p>"You are a thief."</p><p>"Yes, but now I'm a happy thief," Gerry pointed out, sitting back with his half of her sandwich.</p><p>Charlie couldn't help but shake her head at him. The two of them had decided to go out to lunch together, not as a date or anything, just because it was actually quieter in the little sandwich shop than it was back home, even with Chance and Elin gone… or especially with them gone. Charlie didn't have as much of a boost without her twin brother around, and Gerry knew it.</p><p>She was still working on her general electives, and unfortunately, that meant the classes were a lot of busy work. Gerry, on the other hand, was actually into his chosen classes, though he was knee-deep in index cards for his microbiology course, going through the different bacteria and viruses that caused what diseases and what the symptoms were.</p><p>"Hey, I actually know that one," Charlie said when she saw the card that Gerry had set down.</p><p>"Yeah, everyone knows smallpox, Charlie," Gerry teased.</p><p>"Hey, I'm allowed to be a little proud. I'm not a pre-med student."</p><p>Gerry grinned at her. "You need any help on the econ?"</p><p>"No, I'm just making really stupid supply and demand curves for the next hour," Charlie said.</p><p>"Had to take it for the credit, right?"</p><p>"What did you take?"</p><p>"Philosophy. Which I do <em>not </em>recommend. Econ's your better bet," Gerry said. "Philosophy just makes your head explode, and if you don't agree with the professor, you fail."</p><p>"That's not how that-"</p><p>"Welcome to college, Lottie," Gerry said with a smirk.</p><p>"Wouldn't human-mutant relations count for that kind of thing?" Charlie pointed out.</p><p>"Yes, but you're assuming that it's a recognized class."</p><p>"Oh come on."</p><p>"Hey, why do you think you're drowning in generals?" Gerry pointed out. He leaned back and took another bite out of his sandwich. "Plus, econ is killer over the summer. You're insane."</p><p>"You could have warned me."</p><p>"I tried? But you said you wanted a full schedule."</p><p>"I did." Charlie shook her head as she went back to her homework. "I like the Intro to Music courses better."</p><p>"Yeah, of course you do," Gerry laughed. "I'm stealing your fries too."</p><p>"You …" Charlie let out a breath of a laugh. "I didn't know I was feeding you today, Gerry."</p><p>"Surprise!" Gerry grinned before he snagged one of the French fries and bit off the end. "You sure you don't want any help?"</p><p>"Just study your flashcards, Sunshine."</p><p>"Yes ma'am," Gerry teased, going back to his flashcards to read through pertussis.</p><hr/><p>The rain had finally stopped from the long weekend Chance and Elin had taken in the lakeside cabin in Alaska, and Elin had decided to step outside to get a breath of fresh air now that she could do so without taking a shower at the same time.</p><p>She had a cup of tea in her hand as she walked out onto the shore, slowly strolling down it since she knew Chance would be along shortly — and she didn't want to be too far ahead of him. As she rounded the corner, where the shoreline curved sharply around some heavy brush, something small and metallic hit the ground a few yards ahead of her. She had just enough time to focus on it and drop her tea before it went off — and it was quickly followed by four more, all of them flash bangs. Not being prepared at all, she ended up more or less flattened right off, blinded, deaf, and in a pure panic.</p><p>Chance had just been at the door of the cabin to catch up to her when the flashbangs went off, so he'd been inside — but his ears were still ringing as he rushed outside to see what the heck was going on. It only took him a second to see the military-style uniforms and the soldiers starting to come out of the trees before he saw a handful of them headed for Elin, who was clearly panicking and disoriented as she blindly stumbled toward the lake.</p><p>He started to panic as well, sprinting toward the group of soldiers as they worked quickly and efficiently to get Elin restrained, her hands covered with metal to prevent her claws from getting to any of them. They were already hauling her off by the time he even got close, and even then, there really wasn't any chance of him getting <em>to </em>her when a handful out of the larger group turned their attention to the panicked boy.</p><p>Unlike with Elin, they didn't have the element of surprise, though that didn't exactly matter when there were enough of them against one teenager in jeans and a tee shirt. In no time at all, they had Chance restrained, arms behind his back, dragging him off in the same direction as Elin, though he'd lost track of her with the uniforms around him.</p><p>The transports that had brought the soldiers out to the cottage were further out - enough so that the kids hadn't been able to hear them coming until it was too late and the guys were dragging them to a chopper.</p><p>Once they were in the chopper, though, Chance was frustrated by the fact that the soldiers were just… <em>ignoring </em>him. Elin had to be with a different team, because he couldn't see her. It was simple enough to figure out who they worked for when he got a proper look at them that wasn't just <em>soldiers </em>— <em>Elin </em>— <em>trouble</em> and that just made the whole thing more miserable.</p><p>When the chopper landed at last and a few of the soldiers started to manhandle him out of it, Chance did his level best to get around them, just trying to spot the other chopper that had to have Elin and see where she was. He didn't make much headway, barely getting glimpses over shoulders by virtue of his height more than any kind of progress on his part getting out of the tight hold the guys had on his arms and shoulders. He saw the other chopper, but only as it was landing — he didn't see Elin get out before he was dragged into the facility, the soldiers taking him deeper down hallways and into an elevator that seemed to go into the earth before they finally ended up in what amounted to more or less an office a lot like the one the government liaison's office had at the school — though obviously <em>that </em>one hadn't been in an underground facility that kidnapped teenagers.</p><p>The soldiers shoved him into the chair in the middle of the room and cuffed him to it before leaving him alone for what had to be at least a few hours. No one answered when he called out, and he couldn't move from where he'd been restrained. He pulled and tried to find a way to get loose, but it just wasn't working. At all.</p><p>When Horton finally made his appearance, he was just as calm and quiet as usual and walked in to sit at his desk as if this was any other meeting, hands clasped in front of him.</p><p>Horton took in a breath to speak, but Chance got there first. "Where's Elin?" he demanded.</p><p>"That's not up for discussion," he replied.</p><p>"She hasn't done anything to you guys," Chance insisted heatedly. "You can't just - you have to let her go. She's not part of any of this."</p><p>"She's more a part of this than you realize," he replied. "But that's not why I'm here."</p><p>Chance settled into a glare as he shifted against the chair a bit. "Yeah. I'm sure this is just a regular day in the office for you."</p><p>"Mr. Summers … you signed a contract, and you need to fulfil it. One way or another."</p><p>Chance shook his head. "You're kidding, right? You guys were <em>drugging </em>me. I'm not working for you. Ever."</p><p>"You don't really have a choice," he replied, his tone still perfectly pleasant and professional. "In any of this."</p><p>Chance glared at the man in front of him. "Tell you what," he said slowly. "You let Elin go - and I'll play along."</p><p>"Elin Howlett isn't going <em>anywhere</em>, and you have nothing to give us that you haven't already sworn to do so. I see no reason to take you at your word without having to apply a little pressure to be sure that you'll follow through."</p><p>Chance started to shake his head at that. "No. I'm not going to be part of that team — not unless she's safe and you <em>let her go</em>," he said. He dropped his shoulders slightly and <em>tried </em>to look sincere. "I won't fight you — I swear — just let her go."</p><p>"No." Horton stood up and made his way across the room to open a hidden panel. "Go ahead and finish up your contract, and <em>if </em>Miss Howlett is still in our system, we'll let her go." He smiled slightly wider. "Consider it a bonus for cheerful compliance."</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean - <em>if </em>she's in the system?" Chance asked, his eyes narrowed as he tried to turn and track him with his gaze.</p><p>"I'm afraid that's a higher clearance level than you've reached."</p><p>"I'm <em>afraid </em>that's an important question if you're going to be talking about 'cheerful' compliance," Chance shot right back.</p><p>"And you're not going to get your answer," he said with a shrug. "Your suit is waiting for you - to go and announce your new position in Alpha Flight."</p><p>"Stuff your stupid suit." Chance glared at the man. "<em>Leave her alone</em>."</p><p>"She <em>is </em>alone," he replied. "And she'll remain so."</p><p>"That's not-" Chance took a breath and closed his eyes, totally furious but trying to find a way out all the same. "Just let her go. Please. I'll wear the suit and I'll even smile for the cameras just… let her go."</p><p>"Mr. Summers," he said with almost a laugh. "You have to be incredibly naive if you really think that her only purpose was … whatever this is." He gestured around them. "We <em>will </em>complete our contracts."</p><p>"She didn't sign any contract with you. What you're doing is just kidnapping, pure and simple," Chance said quietly. "You <em>can't </em>be stupid enough to think holding her is a good idea, all the history considered."</p><p>"All the history considered, it is <em>none </em>of your business."</p><p>"<em>Please</em>," Chance said softly.</p><p>"Are you going to get to work?"</p><p>Chance shook his head 'no.' "Not without something better than <em>your word </em>that she'll be alright. That you'll let her go."</p><p>He smirked at him for a moment. "I'll let you see her, then."</p><p>Despite his best attempt at a poker face, Chance's head came up, and he stared at the man. "Alright," he said, slowly and carefully and sure there was a catch somewhere — but Krissy was right: he really didn't have a poker face, especially when it came to Elin.</p><p>Horton led the way for Chance — with a soldier on each side of the boy all the way through the maze of hallways and access panels, the security thicker and thicker with every passing doorway until they stepped out on a metal catwalk and Horton gestured toward the green, liquid-filled tubes below.</p><p>Elin was in one of the tubes — suspended in the liquid with a mask over her nose and mouth and a few leads and tubes going into her arms. It was clear that she was drugged and unaware he was even there as he stared at her with wide eyes. He wasn't stupid enough to think she'd <em>stay </em>in the tube and untouched, but it was still somehow a relief to see that she was <em>just </em>unconscious.</p><p>Chance closed his eyes for a moment before he looked up at Horton, who looked overly smug. "I want it in writing," he said. "As soon as my contract's up — hers is too. You let her go."</p><p>"We'll put in an addendum," he agreed. "The Canadian government will take no further action against her in this matter after you've fulfilled your contract."</p><p>For a long moment, Chance stared at Elin until he very slowly nodded. "Fine," he said at last.</p><p>Horton let out a sigh and turned on his heel, the soldiers dragging Chance along with him as they went. "Honestly, I don't understand why you're making this so hard."</p><p>"How'd you feel if someone started drugging you without your consent, huh?" Chance muttered, not really fighting the soldiers in the least and feeling a bit numb with anger the further they got from Elin. "Then kidnapped you and tied you to a chair… put your girlfriend in animated suspension… It's a real mystery."</p><p>"Had you simply done as you'd agreed to begin with, we wouldn't have been forced into escalating the situation." He shook his head. "You did this to yourself — and to her."</p><p>Chance's head came up sharply at that, and he narrowed his eyes for only a moment before he let his shoulders slump, knowing that the guy was right. It was his own stupid fault for signing anything with these guys. He was quiet as they weaved their way back through the hallways, completely without a witty retort and feeling honestly rather ill the more he thought about Elin's situation. At this point, he wasn't even surprised these guys had decided to screw with him, but <em>Elin</em>… he just couldn't live with that.</p><p>To his surprise, when they returned to the man's office, the paperwork was waiting — nothing needed to be drafted. The suit was sitting there ready for use, too, and Chance kept his gaze on the paperwork in front of him instead as they finally let him out of the cuffs so he could sign his name and wordlessly push it toward the man in front of him.</p><p>Once Chance had signed the paper, Horton pulled it over and tucked it away before he picked up his comm and hit the button. There was a moment's pause before he spoke. "We have the girl in custody. We may as well make good use of her while she's with us — for this short time. You have a green light."</p><p>Chance looked openly horrified as he stared at the man in front of him. "You… can't…"</p><p>"It's really not your fault you picked the wrong girl," Horton said in a falsely sympathetic tone and a slight smile.</p><p>"Like hell. She's worth a million of you," Chance said, the implication that Elin was 'wrong' more than he could ignore.</p><p>Horton smiled tighter. "Be that as it may … you have a contract to fulfil, Mr. Summers," he said with a wave. "We could argue all day, but it doesn't matter, does it."</p><p>Chance was almost shaking with rage as he got to his feet, but for the moment, he knew there wasn't a thing he could do. He didn't know where they'd take Elin for their 'project,' and he couldn't find out with a soldier on either side of him.</p><p>He did, however, know that she was still in the building — at least right now. And he also knew that two soldiers and a pencil-pusher wouldn't be too hard to get past in the suit. So, he did his best to get his expression under control and pull back the glare as he switched out the jeans and tee shirt for the suit — which didn't have a hood or mask like Mac's, since, it was clear to see, it was the face and the name that had always mattered anyway.</p><p>He'd barely pulled the thing on before he decided this was probably his best shot — he still had an <em>idea </em>of where Elin was, anyway — and dropped into a crouch, sweeping one guard's legs out from underneath him in a fluid movement before he kicked the back of the other guard's knee and hit him over the shoulders, sending him stumbling as Chance made a rush for the door.</p><p>He'd gotten all of two steps into the hallway, though, before he seemed to trip over his own feet, and it took him a second to catch up to what had happened as first his legs and then his arms locked up — his arms barely working long enough to catch himself from smacking the floor before they stopped working too, and the guards he'd just knocked over had absolutely zero problems pulling him to his frozen feet. Chance tried to move against the suit, but it was far stronger than he was — it had been designed that way, after all.</p><p>"With your insistence to fight us every step of the way, and with your past … errors, do you really think we'd trust you with one of our most powerful suits?" Horton chuckles.</p><p>Chance glared as he tried to move and still couldn't manage it. "Worth a shot," he said. "Not like you guys have a long history of smart decisions."</p><p>The guards on either side of Chance set him down at a nod, though Chance was sure it was the suit standing on its own and not him as he glanced down at himself. It was weird standing there totally paralyzed — and not the same way it had been with Jamie, since he could still <em>sort </em>of move, flexing and pulling against the suit. It was more like being held down than anything. He shook his head. "Alright, you've made your point," he said, annoyed that he couldn't do more than just stand there. "Sure you don't want a different cadaver for this? Seems to me like you just need the warm body."</p><p>"If you can't control your mouth, we'll have to do something about that as well."</p><p>"Further proof you just need the warm body," Chance said with a little glare as he and the guards made their way down the halls, though he wasn't moving on his own volition. Which was a very, very odd sensation. "Don't worry your bald shiny head. I said I'd smile for the cameras. I didn't say I'd smile for <em>you</em>."</p><p>"Good. Don't. It will make you look more formidable."</p><p>Chance just glared at that as the group of them hit the elevator, headed up to the press conference with Chance's suit still locking him in place.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Magneto's Grandson</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Billy steps in.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>I</strong>t was mid-afternoon in Westchester, and for the most part, it had been a lazy day. Cody and Scott had spent the morning in the Danger Room running some sims to really hone Cody's aim and finesse with his powers, so they were both taking a break when they got up to the living room, water bottles in hand and two plates full of sandwiches as they found a seat on the couch.</p><p>"You're getting better at the wider focus," Scott said as he put his feet up. "You're still not watching your back when you aim, though. You don't have to check the aim five times — just trust your aim. You're right more often than you think you are."</p><p>"Kinda hard to watch my back when I can only watch what I'm shooting at in the moment," Cody pointed out.</p><p>"Yeah, I know. It drives me nuts too," Scott said with a smirk. "You'll get it."</p><p>Cody grinned as he leaned back and Scott switched the channel over to the news from the sitcom that had been playing that no one was watching anyway. It was toward the top of the hour, so the broadcasters were running through the day's top stories, giving an overview of the hour's news before they turned to the "top story," which was the unveiling of the new Alpha Flight team, set to take over as the old team retired.</p><p>It was a surprise, considering Mac had said he was working on tracking down the drug problem from his end, not setting up the junior squad that had just tried to kidnap Chance, and Scott raised an eyebrow. He was already suspicious, but it wasn't until they showed the clip of the conference itself, with a tightly smiling Chance at the mic in a suit a lot like Mac's announcing that he was going to head up the team, "you know, away from my dad's safety net," to a few dry chuckles, that Scott <em>knew </em>things had gone south faster than they had even realized.</p><p>Scott was on his feet in an instant and all but shouting in his comm. "Logan. Get down here. Now."</p><p>"On the way," Logan replied, not even asking what had Scott sounding so tense. It only took a few moments before Logan made his appearance, already looking ready to fight. "What's the story, Slim?"</p><p>"I wish I knew," Scott said, gesturing to the screen, which was still covering the press conference, complete with Chance standing with the junior Alpha Flight team with a deep frown — and Mac was nowhere to be seen.</p><p>"They're supposed to be in Alaska," Logan said with a frown. "Where the hell's Elin?"</p><p>Scott shook his head. "She's not anywhere public," he said, already falling into a deeper glare the more he thought about it.</p><p>"I'm getting K," Logan said flatly, already turning back the way he'd come from.</p><p>"I'll prep the jet."</p><p>"Can I come too?" Cody called out.</p><p>"No," both of them called back in unison.</p><p>Cody frowned at that and shook his head, though the story was the same for each of the other kids that tried. Sying was shut down the second he asked Kurt if he could come, and Krissy surprised Kate when she said she wanted to go — but Kate wasn't letting that happen either.</p><p>So it was just that much more frustrating to the senior X-Men gathering in the hangar when Billy appeared in a flash of light, looking horrified at whatever had sent him their way as he blocked their entrance to the jet with a spell that enveloped the whole blackbird in black that they couldn't penetrate.</p><p>"Yeah… no," Billy said, shaking his head.</p><p>"Shut up and get out of the way," K half-snarled his way. "We have places to be."</p><p>"And I'm very sorry you feel that way," Billy said, still holding the spell with one hand outstretched. "But I thought you guys were smarter than this? You know why they held a public conference, right? I mean, besides the obvious 'flaunt the junior X-Man' reasons."</p><p>"I'm going after my daughter," Logan growled out.</p><p>"And you'll end up with controls in your head," Billy countered. "You and K. She's <em>bait</em>. <em>He's </em>bait. Come on. This is basic Bad Guy Trap 101."</p><p>"Then we know what they're planning, and we can work around it," Logan countered, with K nodding alongside him.</p><p>"You don't <em>work around </em>this stuff. Last time, Erik had to pull it out of you both, and you <em>barely </em>survived it." Billy shook his head. "This is <em>exactly </em>what I saw in that other world, just a decade late."</p><p>"All the more reason for us to go <em>get her </em>before they use it on her," K argued.</p><p>Billy closed his eyes. "K, they already are," he said quietly. "And they're waiting for you two to do exactly this so they can use it on you too."</p><p>Both of the ferals looked positively horrified, but not from the angle Billy was hoping for. "Get out of my way," Logan growled out, his hands balled up into fists, clearly more than ready to flatten Billy out.</p><p>"Do you even know where you're going?" Billy challenged.</p><p>"I've got a few ideas," Logan countered, positively snarling. "Been to enough of their little creepshows to know where to look."</p><p>But that just had Billy shaking his head, his feet slightly off the ground as he glared right back at Logan. "Logan," he said in an echoing voice a second before their surroundings changed, and instead of standing in the hangar, they were standing beside a tall, white monument in the middle of what used to be the school. "Stop."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Because this is what I saw," Billy said, gesturing around them, trying to convince Logan. "Want to read the list of names? Or do you want me to show you the actual roundups?"</p><p>"If you think watching my friends get rounded up and killed is enough to scare me, you really need to raise the bar a little higher," Logan growled out. "Whatever mistakes happened here aren't the same as what's going on there, no matter how you dress it up."</p><p>Billy shook his head and let out a breath, looking at the other gathered X-Men, who all looked floored by the dimension shift and the sheer size of the white monument in front of them. But Logan and K still looked like they were ready to shred something.</p><p>"I don't see a future for Elin and Chance where they <em>stay </em>under Canadian control — unless the program gets their hands on you two," Billy said slowly, trying a different tactic.</p><p>"And what are the chances of that happening if we <em>know </em>what they're up to?" K challenged, looking every bit as incensed as Logan.</p><p>"Good enough that I'm here," Billy shot back, floating a little higher as he glared at her. "You know I don't ask unless it's something world-changing. You <em>know </em>that. I have stayed out of so. much. crap that's happened lately, and it's because I knew you had it and that the team would get through it and that there would be good things coming from it, but this? This full frontal assault doesn't have anything in its path but death and captivity."</p><p>"We can <em>do this,</em>" Logan growled out after he and K shared a look. It was clear to everyone that they were willing to take the shot to get the kids out and burn whatever — and whoever — they needed to the ground.</p><p>Billy let out a frustrated sigh before he stretched out one hand, and in an instant, both Logan and K dropped to the ground, and the group of them were back in the hangar with the unconscious Howletts. He glanced up at Scott, who was looking both of them over to check their vitals with an unreadable expression on his features.</p><p>"They're trained for this: the full on, against all odds. If anyone could do it, it would be them," Scott said evenly. "And they can't fight their instincts."</p><p>"Fine," Billy said. "They're just sleeping. They'll stay that way until we get Chance and Elin back." He was shaking his head, still looking thunderous and not touching the floor in the slightest. "There's too much risk."</p><p>"That's precisely when they operate at their best," Kurt pointed out.</p><p>"You don't know where Chance and Elin are being held. You don't know if they're even in the same facility. There is <em>so much risk</em>. And I can't watch it happen again. It destroyed you all." Billy looked down at Logan and K. "Find them first. If you rush in now… it's over. Three months from now, anyone who wasn't rounded up will be on the run. Three <em>months</em>," he repeated.</p><p>"We're not arguing about any of that. I know you're trying to help," Scott replied. "But those two … they <em>can't </em>fight those instincts, and this is what they <em>do best.</em> You have to understand <em>that</em>."</p><p>"I understand that the program knows exactly how to bait them," Billy said. "If part of that is playing on their instincts, you can bet they'll do that, too." He shook his head. "I <em>thought </em>we eradicated this control system."</p><p>Scott shook his head at that. "You can't kill an idea," he told him. "You can take out the creator and even wreck the plans themselves — but you can't get rid of the idea once it's out there."</p><p>Billy frowned at Scott for a good long time before he finally let out a breath. "I'm just tired of this fight. It's the exact same one I've been trying to <em>avoid </em>since the day I got the Demiurge powers."</p><p>"Well, you better get used to fighting against this," Scott advised. "It's not going to go away, and it's not going to get any better. Mutants might be on the rise, and the numbers might be in our favor, but sooner or later … you're going to have the same fight we always have had." He gestured to the hangar around them. "If you believe it, and you're ready for it, <em>watching </em>for it, you'll be better off. But it's not just going to go away."</p><p>Again, Billy was quiet before he finally touched back down and shook his head. "I meant what I said. Chance and Elin are not going to be stuck forever. I'm just trying to help," he said in a much softer voice.</p><p>"That's fine, and it's appreciated," Scott said, nodding, before he tipped his head toward the ferals. "But you might want to find a better way to deal with them next time something like this comes up. I'm not going to be able to play mediator for you forever, and chances are good those two will be your best allies in fighting the crap that's coming down the line."</p><p>Billy ran a hand through his hair. "Right. Well. I'll get them somewhere… not the hangar floor," he said, waving a hand before both of them disappeared — upstairs to their bed — and then looked toward the remaining X-Men and cleared his throat. "So. It's a very bad idea to go running right now. But if you want help when you find them…"</p><p>"Yeah, we'll let you know," Scott replied, already pulling his phone out to call Rachel.</p><p>"Why don't you stay and help," Kate suggested gently, stepping around Scott to put a hand on Billy's arm. "I know you like to appear and leave dire warnings and then run off like a drama queen, but we could use the help sifting."</p><p>Scott looked up, his phone at his ear still. "We'll probably want to make sure that James and the girls are secure — <em>but not asleep</em> — and put a watch on Logan and K just in case these guys decide to escalate this when they don't come running. If what you say is true, then they <em>will </em>come looking for them."</p><p>Billy took a deep breath and held it. "I only put them out because I didn't know how to stop them otherwise. I'm not going to do that to <em>kids</em>," Billy said.</p><p>"Yeah, I'd hope not. But all things considered, you might not want to do that to Logan and K again unless you're willing to deal with them when they wake up," Scott replied.</p><p>"Duly noted." Billy shrugged. "But I can watch over two sleeping X-Men, no problem." With that, he disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Kate holding nothing where his arm used to be.</p><p>"He is <em>such </em>a drama queen since he became a demigod," Kate breathed out, trying to inject a little levity to the situation.</p><p>"He's Magneto's grandson," Scott said flatly. "It was bound to happen sooner or later."</p><p>"He's not <em>that </em>bad," Kate defended.</p><p>"No, disregard the floating thing … and you still have to admit that he <em>is </em>that dramatic, cape and all," Kurt agreed. "Magically billowing for effect."</p><p>Kate had to smirk at that and nodded. "Well, if we're not going in full-claw with Logan and K… does Rachel have anything?"</p><p>"If we're not going full claw with Logan and K, it's not going to be nearly as much fun," Kurt pointed out under his breath.</p><p>"Rachel will call us when she has something," Scott said. "In the meantime, we still have to get the rest of the family secure."</p><p>"I'll get James," Kurt offered, disappearing in a flash of smoke.</p><p>Kate smirked at the smoke. "He'll get Sadie too. He's just like this."</p><p>"He's just disappointed. He was looking forward to a fight. Do you want to keep an eye out for Malin, then?" Scott asked.</p><p>"Sure," Kate said with a nod. "She's been playing with Kade all day."</p><p>Scott nodded as Kate rushed off toward the living room, though he was surprised when he got upstairs to find that all three of the oldest kids in the mansion were in the War Room ahead of him, their heads together as they were whispering over something, rewatching the broadcast of the press conference and clearly plotting out their moves.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Scott asked the group, and Charlie grinned up at him easily when she saw him.</p><p>"Getting started," Charlie replied. "We <em>are </em>doing something, aren't we?"</p><p>Scott shook his head at her, though he couldn't help but smirk at the familiar scene. "Of course we are. We just have to find out where they're both being held."</p><p>"So give me a list and I'll run through them," Sying suggested. "It'll only take a few minutes, I'm sure."</p><p>"And when you run through the facilities straight into a dampening field?" Scott asked with one eyebrow raised.</p><p>"I'll go with him," Krissy offered. "I can keep up."</p><p>"Let's get a solid plan before either of you go rushing off." Scott sat down across from the group of kids and gestured to the screen they were watching. "You know they're not going to hesitate to take advantage of you kids. You need something better to go on then 'I'll run through the list.'"</p><p>"Um … explosives?" Sying offered with a shrug.</p><p>"I can use Amy," Charlie offered. "I mean, Chance was on TV, but Elin's easy to find empathically, and I know Rachel said it's harder for her to find them."</p><p>"That won't work if she's drugged," Scott pointed out. "Or otherwise neutralized."</p><p>"That's not what they did to Chance," Charlie pointed out. "Look at him. He doesn't look … like he did when they <em>were.</em>"</p><p>"Chance <em>isn't </em>one of the ferals," Scott told her very evenly. "That's what they've been after for years, and they know how to subdue them."</p><p>"Well, we have to do <em>something</em>," Krissy said, her nose scrunched up, looking annoyed with every suggestion that was shot down. "Just… what if I teleport into the next Alpha Flight event and at least get Chance out? He might know where Elin is…"</p><p>"Let us help," Charlie said. "Dad, he's my <em>twin brother</em>. And something is <em>obviously </em>wrong with him. He's just so… stiff and upset, and I'm not even there to 'read' him, but I can tell you that," she said, gesturing toward the paused screen.</p><p>"Try to call him. Or text," Scott suggested, surprised himself with the simplicity of it.</p><p>The three kids shared surprised looks before Charlie quickly pulled out her phone and called Chance, relieved when he picked up on the other line as Scott started to set a trace. "Chance, what's going on?" she asked as soon as he had said 'hello'. "I thought you were camping with Elin."</p><p><em>We were, </em>Chance replied before his tone turned perfectly sullen. <em>And then things came up.</em></p><p>"Yeah, we can see that," Charlie said, glancing up at Scott, who nodded his encouragement. "So, um, what happened? I mean, nobody here knows anything. You just surprised us all with that press conference."</p><p>
  <em>I just … I have to finish up my contract. Get it over with.</em>
</p><p>Charlie could feel the uptick in both concern and anger around her as she nodded into the phone. "Is Elin staying with you, then? While you finish your contract?"</p><p>There was a long pause before he answered, sounding upset even with his short response. <em>No.</em></p><p>"I'm sorry," she said with a frown. "I know you two have been waiting to get together, so I'm sorry your stupid job got in the way of that." She took a deep breath. "What's it like, anyway? The suit fits okay and all that? Teammates are nice?"</p><p>
  <em>It's not … I can't really … I'll talk to you later.</em>
</p><p>Charlie frowned as she heard the click on the other end and glanced up at Scott, who shook his head. "He's still at the school, where the press conference was held," he said.</p><p>"Well, that's great," Krissy said. "I can get there."</p><p>"Yes, but we don't know where <em>she </em>is," Scott pointed out.</p><p>"We could get them one at a time, right?" Sying asked. "I mean, we know where he is. Seems like an easier rescue."</p><p>"Higher profile for sure," Scott said. "But then what happens to her?"</p><p>"I thought they wanted her more than him. They wouldn't … <em>do </em>anything to her, right?" Charlie asked. "In retaliation? I mean…. That's what they wanted, I thought."</p><p>"You mean like they didn't do anything to Logan or K? They want their investment back," Scott replied, more frustrated still when he realized that not only were two of their kids missing but the that the two gone were his junior team leaders. "The hundreds of millions of dollars they sank into Elin's parents. And it's pretty clear they'll do whatever they can to make that happen."</p><p>The three kids glanced at each other with wide eyes, and Sying let out a low whistle before Charlie put her hand on Scott's arm. "Anything we can do," she said quietly. "Really. We're worried too."</p><p>"Rachel's trying to find where they are," Scott told her. "We already got our friendly neighborhood harbinger all twisted up and putting a stop to anyone rushing out and trying to be useful right now. We have to wait."</p><p>"I hate waiting," Sying muttered with a little scowl.</p><p>"If you want to keep your grandparents, you have to."</p><p>The kids all shared a look once more before they nodded, and Charlie spoke for the group. "Well, we're just gonna be here. If you need us. Trying to figure out what they did to Chance, since he's the only clue we've got right now." She took a breath and leveled with her father. "And I <em>will </em>be trying Amy out to see if I can help. There has to be a way."</p><hr/><p>When Kurt reappeared in the living room with James, both of them were grinning. "Well. That was fun. I didn't know Tony was so … delicate," James said before he looked around the room. "So, when are we going to tear down Canada?"</p><p>"As soon as Rachel or Charlie can tell us where they are," Kurt promised.</p><p>"Great. Do I get to bring mom's weapons? Because I might just know how to work around the DNA sensors. Portable explosions for fun…"</p><p>"You're not going," Kurt told him as Scott hit the living room from talking with the other kids.</p><p>"Now you're just talking crazy," James said with a disbelieving little laugh, frowning between the two of them as if he was waiting for one of them to say it was a joke.</p><p>"You're not," Scott said firmly. "These people are specifically after your family."</p><p>"Oh, come on," James said, his arms out wide. "Not like I'm going to just … go in swinging. I can rig something up …turn their systems against them … shut down their ugly Alpha Flight suits. "</p><p>"That…" Scott paused. "How close do you need to be to shut down a suit?"</p><p>James shook his head and gave Scott a look. "If I can get a remote into <em>their </em>systems, I can probably make them think their whole world is ending."</p><p>"Can you do it without hurting the person inside?" Scott asked.</p><p>"Does it hurt when you turn the lights off?" James asked dryly.</p><p>"It's a little different," Scott said, matching his dry tone.</p><p>"Smaller button — same basic idea." James tipped his head to the side. "I mean … you'd want to make sure they were on the ground first …"</p><p>"Obviously," Scott said, shaking his head. "If you shut it down, will it lock up or will the person inside be able to move?"</p><p>"It's not the same as Stark's armor," James told him. "It's … not nearly as restrictive, actually. But if I can get into it, I can give you a better idea of what can be done." He snapped his fingers at Scott and grinned. "Hey. What if I 'borrow' some of Stark's armor? Would that help?"</p><p>Scott smirked. "If you think it would," he allowed.</p><p>"Well … misdirection more than anything … and they're a lot harder to hack into," James replied, heading toward the War Room. "They'd think it was Iron Man, after all..."</p><p>"Let's just focus on getting into Chance's suit first," Scott said. "Aside from shutting it down, I want to know if there's any way we can track him or even see where he is, what he's seeing…"</p><p>"Oh, I can tell you that's a yes without getting into it," James said. "Alpha Flight has been so tight on everything, they're not going to let a suit like that fly off without knowing exactly where it is."</p><p>"Good. I want to know when he leaves the school. It might be our key to finding Elin."</p><p>"Wait. You don't know where she is?" James paused and turned to look at Scott fully. "What are they doing with her?"</p><p>Scott let out a breath. "According to Billy, they're trying to get the same kind of control over her they want over your parents."</p><p>"So … they want to die." He nodded to himself. "Okay. I can do that." James paused. "You could put a tracker on me … if … that's what they want."</p><p>"Absolutely not," Scott said. "And don't suggest it again or our favorite harbinger will start floating around again."</p><p>"I'm just saying: it would work, and it'd give them more than they were bargaining for," James pointed out, looking flat out upset that he was getting shot down.</p><p>"No. Let's figure out where she is first," Scott said, taking a hold of James by both shoulders. "I don't want them to disappear on us if we hit the wrong facility. We don't know that they're holding Chance and Elin in the same place, and we don't know that they would keep you with her either. Which is <em>why </em>I'm asking you to step back. Monitor. We still know where one of them is. We're working on the rest."</p><p>James looked down, clearly trying to find a way around all of it. "If I could get a few suits in the air, we could scan for her …"</p><p>"James," Scott said quietly, "we've got Rachel looking. We're <em>all </em>looking. This is the only priority right now. I need you to focus - see if you can help us get intel on the facilities through the suits."</p><p>"Yeah. Sure," James said in a sigh. "But I'll need to have Kurt go get my laptop from Stark's."</p><p>Kurt grinned at James and nodded. "I can do that. I'm sure Iron Man would love to see my loveable, fuzzy face again."</p><p>James smiled tightly at him — obviously far more reserved than before. "I just … I don't think … I'm not being clear. I think they'll be looking for your servers, and I can work through Stark's remotely."</p><p>Kurt smiled at him and stepped in to wrap him in a hug. "We'll get her back. We'll get them both back," he promised before he stepped slightly back and disappeared in a poof of blue to go get the laptop.</p><hr/><p>"How are things going with our new girl?" Jerry Jaxon asked as he navigated his wheelchair closer to the large window overlooking the labs. The big wigs in charge at the Department had wasted no time rushing to get Elin Howlett in a state where she could start working <em>for </em>them. It had been enough to cripple them when they'd lost Weapon X, and though they'd made better progress in the realm of control since X and K were acting as their pioneer guinea pigs, this new version was already proving to be far more promising than anything they could have imagined all those years ago.</p><p>"She's docile," the lab tech said from behind his monitor. "So far, so good."</p><p>"We should have done this years ago," Jaxon said, smiling to himself as he looked at the feeds and the readouts. "You have the other controls ready to go? Once we get a hold of them, we'll have to act quickly."</p><p>"Ready to roll," the tech replied, switching the screen to show the three separate labs ready and waiting with heavy restraints. The computers were booted up and waiting — all that was missing was the bodies to fill the space. "We're just waiting on the three of them to show."</p><p>"Perfect. I'd like to see the results of your testing with her as soon as possible," Horton said as he joined them, looking over fresh reports on how things had been going on the manipulation of his last real acquisition — the Summers boy. "The sooner we can put her to work, the sooner we can get our lost weapons returned to us. There's no way they'll be able to ignore their daughter being put to work."</p><p>"You better be right," Jaxon said, turning to glare at Horton. "We've been trying and failing for far too long to recoup our losses on this project, and there's still no way we can do that without recovering our most valuable assets. There is <em>no room </em>for failure, Horton. And I doubt I need to outline the many ways you've failed me already with your <em>new team leader.</em>"</p><p>"No, sir, I'm painfully aware of all that's gone <em>south </em>on us," Horton said, cringing in spite of himself as he gave Jerry Jaxon a wide berth. "It won't happen again." He gestured toward the tubes, most of which were empty. "We're even ready to take the more aggressive measures with X and K when they get here."</p><p>"You'll need to," Jaxon said, nodding grimly and looking more irritated somehow.</p><p>"If they weren't such a liability …"</p><p>"They are. And you know damn well we won't be able to <em>dispose of them </em>for all we've put into them."</p><p>"No, of course not," Horton said as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "But I believe that you'll find that the system will be more efficient without needing to dip into full mindwipes with the two teenagers. Miss Howlett has already shown herself to be leaps and bounds easier to direct than her mother was, and I don't need to tell you that she was an entirely different style of project than her father."</p><p>"And the boy?"</p><p>"The boy … we will have to be careful with," Horton said. "By all reports, he's actually <em>useful </em>at Stark Industries. We might be able to co-opt some of his ingenuity if we can keep from doing too much damage to him."</p><p>Jaxon looked irritated for a moment as he weighed it out. "Then perhaps you have it backwards."</p><p>"Sir?"</p><p>"K was the one we had trouble working around for ingenuity. X was just … <em>painfully stubborn</em>."</p><p>Horton frowned deeply as he looked at his files, nodding to himself and showing his lack of experience with this particular project. "Ah. Yes. That bodes well for the control system on the boy then."</p><p>"And the others?"</p><p>"Sir?"</p><p>"Do I need to spell it out for you?" Jaxon replied. "How long before the methods are useable in <em>non-</em>healing subjects?"</p><p>"That … could be substantially further down the timeline, sir. We haven't had much luck with our ah … test subjects." Horton shifted behind Jaxon's back, clearly uncomfortable with the new subject at hand. Experimenting on and using mutants, particularly the ones that this part of the program had been designed around, was one thing … kidnapping and experimenting on humans - even undesirable ones that weren't useful to society — was another matter entirely.</p><p>"Perhaps we've been looking at our acquisition program the wrong way," Jaxon said as he watched the lab techs below draining the tube that Elin was in.</p><p>"Sir, I hate to ask, but … I'm afraid I don't follow. We're using the same protocols for human experimentation that were implemented years ago when we found Weapon X," Horton said, clutching his clipboard closer to his chest as he took a measured step toward Jaxon.</p><p>"And we would likely still be picking up drunken vagabonds had we not been tipped off about where X was going to be," Jaxon said. "Read the full files, Horton. You should know this kind of thing. And you should know that, worthless as they were, those uncounted masses of drunk and throwaway men were still a valuable loss of human life." He turned to watch the lab again. "Especially considering how few humans are being born these days."</p><p>The only sounds that echoed in the lab for a long moment were those of industry as the techs did their jobs in practiced coordination, only speaking about the experiment at hand as they manipulated the girl's body and adjusted their computer feeds and the massive quantity of thorazine in play.</p><p>"Make sure that when those mutants make an attack on our people that the order is to capture as many of them as we can get our hands on," Jaxon said. "Those that are closest to X and his family will be the ones that will know best how to remove them from their purpose with us." He smirked up at Horton. "And no one said that the test subjects had to be <em>humans</em>. Non-healing mutants will do perfectly fine. Who knows … maybe they need to own an active x-gene to survive the process. If they live through it, we'll have another useful skillset. If they don't … no one will care. In the meantime, I want to be sure she's not playing possum like her mother was so prone to do. Run her through her paces - and for the love of God, keep a close eye on all the perimeter alerts. Knowing the kinds of mutants they have in that … <em>place</em>, they could pop up anywhere."</p><p>"Even if they do, we're prepared, sir," the tech said, overstepping his boundaries in an attempt to keep Jaxon happy. "There are layers and layers of inhibitor fields in place everywhere <em>but </em>in the lab. And this lab was never on any of the building's original plans."</p><p>"Perfect," Jaxon said with a nod. "I'll be in the observation room. Page me when you're ready to show off what she can do."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. You're in Good Hands</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which James runs an epic rescue.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a week, and Chance was still steaming about the whole situation he'd found himself trapped in. He didn't think he would stop fuming either, not when no one would tell him anything, not when he'd been locked up with some telepaths who broke in and stole everything they could about how his family and friends would respond to their kidnapping and then trapped him in some deadbolted barracks.</p><p>It could have been worse, he knew. He wasn't in the suit anymore, so he was moving around freely — inside the barracks, anyway. Though considering it was just him and a bunch of locked doors and the occasional guard, that wasn't much of a step up, and considering the fact that he had the same, familiar, buzzing headache that he used to think was Jamie in his head, he wasn't sure what 'worse' would look like, and he didn't want to know. He was pretty sure they were lacing his meals with the stuff, or his water or something, and he'd <em>thought </em>about not touching it. But it had been a week, and he couldn't just… starve himself either.</p><p>He still didn't know where Elin was, though he knew they were doing some kind of 'project' to her, and that wasn't helping his panic levels. Nobody had said a word to him about, well, anything since the suit dropped him off there and a couple guards had manhandled him out of the suit and into a locked room. So he was in a foul mood pretty much at any given time for any number of offenses these guys had committed.</p><p>But after a full week, it seemed like they had finally decided to put him to use. The sound of the approaching guards was overly loud when the drugs were messing with his senses, and when they got to him, it was to slip the suit to him. "Time to get moving. You've got five minutes."</p><p>But that had Chance mad all over again. "I'm not going to let you parade me around in this thing," he said, scrunching up the uniform in his hand as he held it.</p><p>The guards gave him a dry look, and as Chance glared at them, the sound of guards further down was clear, with enough of a warning that he could glance over their shoulders to see another set of guards walking through with Elin smack dab in the middle of them. "Clock's ticking," the guard said.</p><p>Chance craned to try to see Elin again, but she was already well past where they were, and he let out a sound of pure frustration as he balled up the uniform in one hand with a muttered "fine" before he very quickly changed, moving fast so he could try to catch up.</p><p>He caught up to Elin and the guards quickly enough with a relieved look on his face that was probably the first time he'd smiled in a week, but that dropped soon enough when she didn't even look at him. "El?" he called out to her gently. "Come on. It's me. It's Chance." When she didn't even turn her head to look at him, he started to get downright concerned. "You know… Sweet Summers? Idiot guy you're going out with? Any of this ringing a bell?"</p><p>"Don't waste your time, kiddo," one of the guards said. "She won't respond unless she's <em>supposed </em>to."</p><p>Chance frowned at that, watching Elin face forward and sedately ignore him, before he balled his hands in fists and just barely checked himself from punching the guard — seeing as that would probably just end up with him locked into the suit. "What … <em>happened </em>to her?" he asked through his teeth, transitioning from confusion to rage fairly quickly.</p><p>"Not really your problem," the guard said offhandedly.</p><p>"She's my girlfriend," Chance said, glaring at the guy.</p><p>"Then you probably could show a little more appreciation," he replied.</p><p>Chance stared at the guy. "For <em>what</em>? Turning her into a vegetable?"</p><p>"Hey. She does what she's told, and she doesn't talk back, fight, or argue — no matter what. Best detail on the base right now," he said with a little smirk. "What's the problem?"</p><p>Chance's eyes widened for just a second before he did end up taking a swing, hard enough with the added punch of the suit that it knocked the guard backward, and Chance could already see the purple bruising on the guard's jaw starting to form at the same time his suit locked up and he was stuck glaring at the guy. "You are so lucky I'm in this suit or you'd be going home in a body cast," Chance said through his teeth.</p><p>The guard put a hand to his jaw with a deep glare before he took two steps forward and hit Chance, knocking him backward as he couldn't do a thing about it and hit the floor hard. It was enough to stun him for a second or two, though the bright red mark on his cheek was the bigger concern to the guy in a suit and tie who came looking for the two of them when the little skirmish had made them late to meet up with the rest of the team.</p><p>He sounded entirely inconvenienced when he saw the mark on Chance and glared at the red spot. "We need him in good shape," Dr. Zira said, glaring at the guard. "Whoever told you this was an easy duty lied to you. Don't touch the talent."</p><p>"Yeah, hands off the merchandise," Chance smirked into the floor.</p><p>Zira glared at him. "And you might do well to remember that while you're in our suit, we can control everything you do. So perhaps you could grow some manners."</p><p>"Not with you guys as templates."</p><p>He rolled his eyes and turned to the team as a whole. "This mission needs to be done today," he said, ignoring Chance entirely. "We've had some issues with our tech, or you'd have been sent out days ago. Stick to your assignments. Mr. Summers, that means you should try to look like you <em>belong </em>in this group."</p><p>"Oh, so the shiner <em>was</em> good for something."</p><p>Zira turned to face him again. "Mind your manners or we might have your little girlfriend a little closer than you'd like when she starts stabbing things."</p><p>"That would damage the suit," Chance pointed out without missing a beat.</p><p>"Not if we make sure she stabs you in the right spot," Zira argued.</p><p>"Yeah, and all that talking to the guards about needing me in good shape was just hot air."</p><p>"If you're banged up, it will happen on a mission, not moving from your room to the staging area." He turned to the rest of the group and started handing out assignments, and Chance didn't miss that it would be the actual team leader that would make sure Elin got to wherever it was they were going. He was a leader in name only; they didn't trust him to be more than PR and bait.</p><p>It was clear though, now that Chance could step back and really see it — none of the people on the team other than Mark and Mandy really wanted to be there. The drugs were certainly a contributing factor, not to mention the fact that they were probably terrified they'd end up getting their free will stripped too, and Chance couldn't help but wonder which of these kids had even <em>picked </em>this team.</p><p>It was a crummy situation all around as they got their assignments, and Deric got them moving. They were barely airborne when he turned to Chance with a concerned look on his face after he'd had some time to think it all over. "Is this … <em>really </em>Wolverine's daughter?"</p><p>Chance glanced at Elin and nodded. "Yeah. Her name's Elin."</p><p>"We are so screwed," he replied quietly, looking a lot paler than Chance had seen him before.</p><p>"No," Chance said quickly, shaking his head. "No, you gotta know her parents won't just… I mean, <em>my </em>parents won't let this stand and …" He swallowed. "We're only a little screwed, I think. Just... gotta wait for my team back home to figure out what's what. And hope they don't walk into a trap with the intel the telepaths got out of me."</p><p>"So screwed," Deric said, and Chance couldn't really argue:</p><p>They were a solid twenty miles from their base when Chance's ear piece began to fritz out.</p><p><em>What exactly do you think you're doing? You look ridiculous. So you know.</em> <em>And I'm pretty sure that I have some kind of honor killing to do now. Or something.</em></p><p>Chance startled at the familiar voice before he let out all his breath in relief. "Not my fashion choice," he whispered low.</p><p><em>Don't talk </em>back <em>to me! </em>James said over the comm, but then paused. <em>Nevermind, I'm kidding. It's fine. You can talk. Don't wet yourself. They don't know I'm in the system, and this is a very private convo. You know. Except for everyone listening in over my shoulder. Any chance you can get your feet on the ground?</em></p><p>"That would be nice, but I'm currently flying a mission," Chance whispered back.</p><p><em>Need any help? I can catch up</em>.</p><p>"Oh no, I really enjoy being trapped in a suit and locked up all day."</p><p><em>Then I should just leave you to it, </em>James teased.</p><p>Chance couldn't help but smirk and shake his head, though he was trying to be discreet about it. It was just such a relief to hear someone friendly. "Elin's here," he said in a low tone.</p><p><em>Yeah … I kinda already hacked into your body cam … so I've got that much figured out. Your little junior idiot leader is right. They are </em>so <em>screwed.</em></p><p>"She's not responding to anything," Chance said.</p><p><em>Billy filled us in on what's going on with her, </em>James said, sounding weary. <em>Kitty will be waiting when you get here to fix it. In the meantime … do you take issue with fighting teammates or my sister?</em></p><p>"I'm not that much of a fan of fighting Elin, but … tell me what the plan is. I'm all ears."</p><p>
  <em>I'll need your cooperation. Can you raise your left hand?</em>
</p><p>"Ah, no. I'm pretty much just a passenger."</p><p>With that, Chance's left hand raised, and James began to chuckle. <em>Well ... I can. I've got your signal isolated … I'm just going to hack into the comms for the rest of them and disable them. Be ready to spider monkey her, and I'll get you home.</em></p><p>Chance let out all his breath in a huge sigh of relief. "Got it."</p><p>
  <em>If you think there might be trouble ... Don't worry about anything but your job. Hang onto her. You'll have an escort at the border. Let's put it like that.</em>
</p><p>"Hey. My job, as I understand it, is just to hold onto Elin and make sure she gets home. I'll let you do the rest."</p><p><em>And try not to get bitten, </em>James pointed out. <em>I can't get into the signal for her. That device is a lot more advanced and encrypted. So … I'm stuck without her in front of me, and I don't know the extent of their … commands.</em></p><p>Chance nodded discreetly. "As long as she doesn't bite anything important, I'm fine. Suit's bulletproof."</p><p>
  <em>Try to not make out with her for the duration of the flight maybe? I know it'll be a hardship … the whole family is so damned irresistible. Got entire governments after our bodies.</em>
</p><p>Chance grinned at that. "I'll just have to suffer for a little while longer. Now hurry up and get me over to her, wouldja? I haven't seen her in a week."</p><p><em>You'll have free flight as soon as their comms drop, </em>James promised. <em>Grab her before they can react. After you have her, I'll take over again and lock their suits.</em></p><p>Chance nodded. "See you soon," he said quietly as he listened to the sound of the keyboard in the background.</p><p>From there, it was a matter of watching to see when he had control of the suit again. He kept moving — or trying to move — his right hand, trying to make a fist. But it wasn't until after the team had touched down and started to spread out to their assigned locations that he could — and that was when he knew he had control of the suit back. So, he made a rush for Elin, taking advantage of the fact that he was so much taller than her to wrap his arms around hers to keep them pinned down, taking her to the ground and wrapping his knees around hers too as he muttered to James, "Get us gone."</p><p>He didn't have to ask twice; almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, they were airborne again, arcing to the south and moving faster than Chance had done in the suit on his own. <em>Let me know if it's too fast. Don't need you blacking out on me.</em> For the first time since James had broken into Chance's ear, he sounded perfectly serious. <em>And don't freak out at the two bogeys at the border. They are unmanned.</em></p><p>Chance shook his head lightly, still holding on tight to Elin as she tried to throw his grip. "James, I don't care. Just get us home and fix whatever they did to El," he said, matching his serious tone.</p><p><em>Chance … I'm just trying to prepare you for what's coming … thirty seconds until you see what I'm talking about. In the meantime, I'll pop in and tell your buddies not to get any bright ideas about trying to follow </em>— <em>for when they hack back in and unlock the idiots.</em></p><p>Chance couldn't help being curious at that, and he readjusted just the slightest bit so he could look over the top of Elin's head — then let out a disbelieving laugh when he saw first one and then two Iron Man suits, one on either side of the two of them. "Gee, James, I'm touched. You went to all this effort…"</p><p>
  <em>Well, your dad went all joykill and wouldn't let me use one myself. Which I think sounded like a whole lotta fun, honestly.</em>
</p><p>"Yeah, well, if you can see Elin right now, I'm kind of glad it's her I'm fighting and not you, because I don't think this would work on you."</p><p><em>Awwww, I'm touched,</em> he replied. <em>Even if it means you're deprived of hugging me for that long.</em></p><p>Chance smirked. "Yeah. Cute as you are, I like the one I've got, thanks."</p><p><em>Good, I don't think you're quite … the right … </em>type <em>for me.</em></p><p>"Way to let me down easy," Chance said, grinning with the rush of adrenaline.</p><p><em>It's not me, it's you, </em>James promised. <em>So. Totally All you.</em></p><p>"It's because I'm dating your sister, isn't it?"</p><p>
  <em>It certainly doesn't help.</em>
</p><p>Chance shook his head again, letting out a relieved laugh and holding onto Elin that much tighter as James flew them both over the border and back to Westchester.</p><p>When they landed, Hank was waiting and had bounded over to them to give Elin a tranquilizer that took just a few moments to kick in. As soon as she relaxed, Hank scooped her up and rushed off, leaving Chance standing there as the suit powered off entirely.</p><p><em>You can come in </em>— before <em>you go full Monty, </em>James told him. <em>Suit's dead, and they'll have to break my code to get in.</em></p><p>Chance nodded quietly before he took a few running steps and then sprinted inside, though at the news that the program wasn't going to immediately get back into his suit, he wasn't headed up to change but to the med lab, where he knew Hank would be with Elin.</p><p>"Hey, you forgot something!" Charlie called after him when he rushed past the living room.</p><p>He paused — because it was Charlie, after all - and shook his head, doubling back. "Yeah, I know. Hello. I'm back. I just… I gotta make sure Elin's okay," he said in a breath before he took off again down the hall, leaving Charlie and the other kids stuck between shaking their heads and sharing 'I told you so's.</p><p>James, on the other hand, looked up at Scott over the top of his computer. "Can I have my parents back now? Or … do you need to make sure they won't go on a murder spree?"</p><p>Scott waved his hand at James. "Make sure Billy is out of the room <em>first</em>."</p><p>"Thanks. Oh, and the line's open if you hit the spacebar — full access to their control center if you want to listen in." James gestured to the computer and the earbuds lying next to it. "All yours."</p><p>James was barely out of the room when Tony Stark's voice called out for him through the halls — and he was absolutely not happy. "Oh, crap," James muttered, though he came to a stop where he was and turned the direction that Tony's voice was coming from to just … wait for it.</p><p>"Didn't you get permission to use his suits?" Sying asked, but James turned his way with one eyebrow raised and looking incredibly guilty.</p><p>None of the kids and few of the adults in attendance had ever seen Tony even <em>remotely </em>near this angry. His jaw was locked, and he was positively fuming as he advanced on James, hands clenched into fists and glaring hard.</p><p>"What the <em>hell </em>kind of stunt was that?" Tony snarled out, still advancing on the sixteen-year-old in front of him, who wasn't even trying to deflect. "I bring you into my labs and set you up with everything you could <em>possibly want </em>and you thank me by hijacking two of my <em>suits</em>?!"</p><p>Scott was already stepping into the argument when he saw the pure fury on Tony's face. "Calm down and take a step back," he said with a little heat, not about to let anyone yell at any of the kids that had been part of the rescue operation.</p><p>"I did what I had to do. And no one here had any idea what I was up to as far as the suits went," James said calmly, finally speaking up before Tony could turn on Scott. "I didn't tell them."</p><p>"Did you tell <em>anyone </em>what you were doing? Of course not!"</p><p>"He was focused on getting his sister back," Scott defended. "The jokers running Alpha Flight kidnapped Elin and hijacked her <em>brain.</em> So you'll have to get over the idea that your machines were compromised. It's better than a compromised <em>person</em>."</p><p>"You don't understand," Tony said, still glaring at James as he explained it to Scott. "There are <em>layers and layers </em>of redundancy that keep this exact thing from happening. <em>Years </em>of coding and hardware development to keep <em>exactly this</em> from <em>ever</em> happening." He took another step toward James, glaring down at him. "How the hell am I supposed to trust you now? Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"</p><p>James dug into his pocket and wordlessly held out a flash drive between them. Tony narrowed his eyes and reached for it, though he paused just before he took it. "What's this?"</p><p>"It's the patch to your coding," James said. "You gave me the assignment when I first got to the lab … you wanted me to look for any problems."</p><p>"That was <em>months ago</em>," Tony said.</p><p>"And it's taken me this long to find it, but … I still found one," James said tipping his chin up at him. "And that patch took me awhile to make. I just finished it, a couple days after I got here. I was planning on giving it to you anyhow, but this came up first, and I didn't know what kind of firepower they had … my sister ... " James paused, still holding Tony's gaze. "I wasn't going to try the patch without talking to you first. And I fully expect you to recode it yourself. <em>Yeah</em>, I know. I should have asked first. But I'm not sorry. That was my family in danger — and one of my best friends. You'd have done the same thing or more."</p><p>"You broke into their systems," Tony said, watching him closely. "Using <em>my </em>servers."</p><p>"I did."</p><p>Tony narrowed his eyes slightly even as his posture relaxed by a small measure. "You know I've got the Canadian authorities knocking on my door now? And that this is what can only be defined as an International Incident?" His fire came back that quickly too. "You're not a hero. You're not accountable for anything yet. You're not even <em>sixteen. </em>You have <em>no business </em>playing around like this while other people have to pick up the slack for your recklessness!"</p><p>"Stand down, Stark," Scott said, eyes narrowed. "This was an international incident the second they kidnapped two American teenagers. You're only upset because your name was pulled into it when we got them <em>out</em>."</p><p>"It's not up to <em>a kid</em> to escalate this thing," Tony countered as James finally dropped his gaze to the floor.</p><p>"No one here is going to apologize for saving lives, Stark," Scott replied coolly. "We've been dealing with people snatching innocent kids and experimenting on them <em>long </em>before you finally took an interest. This group in particular."</p><p>By that time, the argument had gained a few onlookers, and even Billy had poked his head out of where he was keeping watch over Logan and K.</p><p>"You know," Billy said with a small frown. "I was James' age when I started out. Back when it was registration and rounding up powered individuals…" He looked up at Tony with a little glare. "Have you ever been captured and tortured for your genetics, Tony? At age fifteen? Sixteen? You really think any kid is going to react to that threat in any way but throwing <em>everything </em>we can at it to <em>stop </em>it?"</p><p>"Are you trying to tell me that's what's going on up there right now?" Tony asked, turning Billy's way.</p><p>Billy held his gaze. "I'm trying to tell you that not only is that <em>exactly </em>what's happening right now but that if I hadn't stepped in to stop a full-out war, we'd be three months out from those same people hunting down — <em>exterminating </em>— mutants with free rein and nothing to stop them. And using Elin and her parents to do it. James too, once they got him. That's a month out. So you tell me."</p><p>"A month out with a kid that knows how to break your code," Scott added. "And every one of your suits would be worthless or being used against you."</p><p>Billy tapped the side of his temple. "You know I don't step in unless it's world-ending. I've been here for a week now. It's pretty darn world-ending."</p><p>"That's pretty dire," Tony agreed, letting some of the wind out of his sails before he turned back to James. "You can't … you <em>can't </em>just make leaps like that without consulting someone."</p><p>"I know." James kept the same expression in place and just waited for the other shoe to drop, fully expecting Tony to tell him not to come back.</p><p>Tony watched him for a long moment before he tipped his chin up to look down his nose a little better. "I'm going to want to go over this flash drive with you before I go."</p><p>"It's gonna have to wait until after I see my parents," James countered, his jaw locked as he tried to bite around the words. "But the laptop is in there if you want to get started before me." He gestured to the room where Scott had stepped out earlier and, with a nod, Tony and Scott both headed that way.</p><p>"Right," Billy said, suddenly standing a little straighter. "I'll … wake them up."</p><p>James marched by the group and up to his parent's room, where Billy had been keeping watch. "You should probably stay outside when you reverse this. I'll handle them," James offered.</p><p>Billy glanced up at James and then smiled lightly. "Thanks for the warning," he said. "I'll, ah, I should apologize…"</p><p>"You can do that <em>after </em>Dad calms down," James pointed out.</p><p>"Good point," Billy said, headed for the door, and the door had hardly been closed five seconds before it was clear the spell was lifted. Logan and K both sat up together, and James stepped forward to tell them everything they missed, doing his level best to shove down his own irritation.</p><p>Both of them were growling almost immediately, but they took the time to listen, seeing as they knew James had been at Stark's labs when they last knew what was happening. "You can't go after them yet," James said to his father. "Not until I can get into the device they're using on her. And it's not easily done remotely."</p><p>"Where is she?" K asked, already getting to her feet but simply irritated when she swayed once she was upright. "And how long have we been out?"</p><p>James let out a guilty laugh. "Um. Long enough … that you'll probably need to eat something before you try and kill anyone?" He headed over to stand between the two of them and walked with them down the stairs. "Sneaky Billy's trick to make sure you couldn't take off I'm sure. He's just like that."</p><p>"Where's Scott?" Logan asked once they got to the kitchen and Annie got to work pulling out what she could find for the two of them.</p><p>"He <em>should </em>be in the living room," Annie said. "But if Chance is somewhere else, then that's probably where he'll be."</p><p>"Chance blew him off for the med bay, and I left him with a little eavesdropping window into the Canadian's control center," James said offhandedly as he stole a bottle of water. "Suit's off, and I put in a block they shouldn't be able to get around."</p><p>"Is he alright?" Annie asked with a frown.</p><p>"Freaked out," James said, poking at a slice of banana bread. "But he sounded fine all the way back — outside of being worried sick about Elin."</p><p>Annie let out a breath of relief and then sat down with the three of them. "Well. We know what they were doing. Kitty and Hank know what they're doing," she said quietly, then looked up at Logan and K. "Why don't we go down to the lab together? I miss my boy — I'm sure you miss Elin. I just wanted to make sure you were both well-fed and… well, I didn't know what shape the kids would be in and if Elin was hurt..."</p><p>"We'll take a look before we deal with this," Logan replied. "Seeing as we were out for most of this mess."</p><p>"Yes, well, James did wonderfully," Annie said. "And now they're both home."</p><p>"I need to get a hold of that thing," James said in a distracted tone as he continued playing with his food.</p><p>"Then let's go to the lab when you're through eating," Annie said gently.</p><p>"We can go now," Logan argued, and James nodded his head in agreement before the three of them headed down with Annie.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Allowed to be Protective</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which love is in the aiiiiir.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When they got down to the lab, Kitty had just finished pulling the last remnants of the device out of Elin, with Hank's guidance. It was a fairly extensive control device, with bits of it on the tray beside Hank as he checked Elin's vitals and scans a few times over to be sure she was clear of all of it. Kitty was making the most spectacular face at the device in her hand as she gingerly set it down with a muttered 'eww' while Hank worked carefully. And Chance was close by in a chair with his hands clasped under his chin, still wearing the suit and watching the whole thing with a look of near devastation.</p><p>James didn't wait for permission to grab the tray with the device and head upstairs to try and figure out how to hack into it while Logan and K shared a look, both of them more than a little concerned with how invasive the device had been. Annie hung back, her hand over her mouth when she saw the state of affairs.</p><p>As soon as the device was cleared, K had gone to stand near her daughter, and when she got close enough to Chance, she simply rested her hand on his shoulder and gave him a little squeeze before she shifted to give him a hug too. "She's gonna be okay. You know that."</p><p>Chance nodded before he simply leaned into the hug, resting his forehead on her shoulder as he started to very quietly cry — not a full sobbing experience but just something that couldn't be stopped. She readjusted to hold him a little bit better and kissed the side of his head, trying to relax enough to snuggle into him to let him get it out.</p><p>"It's my fault," he told her after a long moment, in a very quiet breath. "I'm the one who signed their contract. They were coming after me and they just… couldn't pass it up with her."</p><p>"It isn't your fault," K promised. "They were going to grab her if they had half a chance one way or another. It was a play to get us. They just used her against you because ...well. They <em>could</em>."</p><p>He closed his eyes and let his shoulders slump, still resting his forehead on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said.</p><p>"You don't have to be sorry for anything: <em>it's not your fault</em>," she said, more urgently than before. "And if they said any different, just remember you can't trust those dirty rotten canucks." Which really just got Logan to mutter out a 'oh, for christsakes' under his breath that no one missed.</p><p>Chance smirked into K's shoulder at that and nodded slightly. "I tried to get her out," he said.</p><p>"I'm sure you did," K agreed. "But these creeps have managed to grab both of us — and we're a lot more trained than you are."</p><p>"I couldn't move in the suit," Chance said. "I tried to get us out, but I couldn't."</p><p>"James told us about that," Scott told him, as much for Chance's benefit as for Logan and K's.</p><p>The two ferals shared a look before Logan took a deep breath and tentatively held it before speaking. "Were they keepin' you in a glorified cell when you weren't on parade?" Logan asked quietly.</p><p>Chance finally sat up a bit straighter to look at Logan and slowly nodded. "Barracks…. Kind of."</p><p>"Then <em>nothing </em>has changed," he replied. "And it sure as hell wasn't your fault."</p><p>"They said if I had just fulfilled my stupid contract they wouldn't have grabbed Elin and me," he explained.</p><p>"They lied," Logan said as he moved closer to Chance. "They have been known to do that. Why do you think Scott didn't trust Mac—" Logan paused and narrowed his eyes before he took a few steps backwards.</p><p>"Mac wasn't there," Chance said. "Neither was Heather."</p><p>"Mac wasn't there when they did the same kind of crap with me, either. They were careful not to let him see. And I didn't tell him about it," Logan said with a low growl. He drew in a breath slowly, then tried to calm himself down before he started toward the door. "Settle in — and get the hell out of that suit." ,</p><p>Chance looked down at the suit as if he'd completely forgotten he was still wearing it. "Yeah. Don't know why…"</p><p>"Because you're in shock," K told him softly.</p><p>Chance looked surprised to hear it as Scott put a hand on K's shoulder. "I've got it from here," he told her.</p><p>K gave Chance another quick kiss on the side of his head before she stood up and let Annie slip into her place. "Chance … you should probably just put on some scrubs," K said evenly.</p><p>Chance blinked up at her for a moment. "Right," he said slowly. "Right, the suit…"</p><p>"Not just the suit," she said before she turned and called for Hank. "You'll need to stay here." When Hank came back to where they were, K looked reluctant to say anything else. "You're drugged again, kiddo. You gotta detox."</p><p>Chance met K's gaze for a long moment and then very slowly nodded. "Can I just… can I just stay here until Elin's awake?" he asked quietly.</p><p>"There's no reason for you to go anywhere," K said as she sat with Elin.</p><p>But Chance shook his head. "No, I'm not doing that again," he said. "I don't … I'll go to Chicago with Lifeguard or something but I can't… I can't do that to Hank and my family and Elin and… I can't do that again," he said, getting quieter the more he spoke.</p><p>"It shouldn't be anywhere near as extensive as last time," Hank said gently.</p><p>"I shouldn't … Hank, you had to sit through all that last time, and it's not fair to you," Chance said.</p><p>"Talk it over with Elin before you make any rash decisions," K said evenly.</p><p>Chance let out a breath and then nodded, and Annie put a gentle hand on his back before directing him to go get changed.</p><p>Now that it was clear at least that Elin and Chance were on the road to recovery and Elin was going to be out of it for a while still, K and Logan went up to where James was scowling at the device on the tray, and K stopped long enough to listen to what he had to say.</p><p>"This thing is <em>nasty</em>. It would kill if it was in a non-healer. They'd never get through putting it in before they had a dead body," he said. "But … I've got the frequency, and how it works is just … rotten." James sat back and turned to the computer for a second. "I don't know how they tested it — unless this was the test run — but I do have the name of the freak that made it."</p><p>While they were talking, Billy had slipped into the room with the ferals and was watching them warily. "Yeah, it's not something that should be in anyone. Worst thing I ever saw when Erik pulled them out of you both."</p><p>K turned his way with her eyes narrowed. "Was it only us it was used on?"</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>"Then why the hell didn't you just kill us?" she shot back.</p><p>Billy looked surprised as he stared at her. "Because… it wasn't your fault."</p><p>"What difference does that make?" she shouted back at him. "If we were responsible for all the damage that was happening because of it — you take out the <em>problem</em>."</p><p>"We <em>did</em>. We took out the devices!"</p><p>"At what <em>price?</em>" Her hands were in fists as she squared off with him. "Sounds to me like the whole thing would have been over a lot faster with less bloodshed if someone had just made the hard call."</p><p>"You didn't have to watch the aftermath," Billy countered.</p><p>"The aftermath of what happened when we were doing <em>what they wanted</em> — and if that's the worst case scenario, then it would have been better <em>to just take us out.</em>"</p><p>Billy glared at her with his arms crossed. "By the time you and Logan had finished the surprise attack on the mansion, the damage was <em>done</em>. Better to save innocent lives after that. All of them. Including yours."</p><p>"Clearly, <em>we </em>weren't that innocent," she countered as James watched the two of them like a tennis match and Logan stood quietly by — not clear at all on whose side he was on as he watched.</p><p>Billy shook his head. "Anyone who is controlled is still an innocent. You know that. And right now, there's another you and another Logan helping to raise the <em>same kids </em>that we just saved here. Helping Kurt raise Krissy. Helping Noh raise Sying — without the new nanites, by the way, so Noh can't even keep up without the two of you in that world. You're <em>needed</em>. So I stand by that."</p><p>She growled low as she made to storm past him but stopped right next to him and looked up with a wicked little smirk as she hauled off and cracked him hard on the backside and continued on her way.</p><p>"She's not wrong," Logan said quietly before he simply followed her out, leaving Billy with James as he continued working on his program to work around the device.</p><p>"She … doesn't like to sleep in …" James offered with a smirk. "And clearly … you needed a spank. Totally had it coming."</p><p>"This — this is what happens when I'm right," Billy grumbled, rubbing his tailbone.</p><p>"If she hears you say that? You'll have another one coming," James warned.</p><p>"I <em>am</em>. Your remote rescue was much safer and didn't get anyone else caught. This was the best solution, and you know it."</p><p>"That's up to three hits…" James was shaking his head. "If she gets up to five, you probably won't be able to walk."</p><p>"I'm married to Hulkling. It's a regular occurrence."</p><p>James had to laugh at that. "Then you shouldn't be <em>flinching </em>so much."</p><p>"Adamantium hurts," Billy said, still rubbing his tailbone.</p><p>"Don't gotta tell me," James replied. "But I'd still hold off on that apology until they're not so … snarly. Maybe open up peace talks with some alcohol."</p><p>Billy shook his head. "Well, until then… crisis averted…"</p><p>"Says you. They're going after the guy," James said. "I hope you can handle that without being overly dramatic."</p><p>Billy shrugged openly. "The future isn't changing," he said, waving his hands in front of his eyes. "We're past the world-altering part of it. At least the kind that alters the world in the wrong way. No one's going to be sad when you shut down the program."</p><p>"Are you sure it's not just because Mom knocked your brain back out of your backside?" James asked evenly, not taking his eyes off of the screen as he leaned forward into a nastier bit of coding.</p><p>Billy rolled his eyes with his whole body, since it was hard to convey fully with the galaxies. "Trust me; I think I'd know if I started having visions of death and carnage."</p><p>"No, now you'll be having visions of Mom randomly cracking you one," James snickered. "Pro tip: she doesn't have a weak arm, and running will just trigger some kind of prey drive. So I'm told."</p><p>Billy shook his head and readjusted his cape over his shoulders. "Right," he said dryly before he simply disappeared from the room.</p><hr/><p>Chance had changed out of the suit, but even after getting the rounds of hugs from his sisters, Cody, and his mom, he was still worried about Elin, especially having <em>seen </em>the device that came out of her, so he ended up slipping into the seat next to her after his mom had all but forced dinner into him.</p><p>He was relieved to see that she was awake when he got there, talking quietly and sleepily to Hank and answering all his questions as he checked her over one more time. She still looked out of it as she talked with him, lying on her side. Chance's heart was in his throat as he made his way over. "Hey, El," he said as he sat down in the chair beside her.</p><p>"Hey, Sweet Summers," she replied quietly with a subdued smirk. "I guess I missed a lot, huh?"</p><p>"Yeah, you did," he said, smiling despite himself at the nickname. "What, ah, what all do you remember, anyway?"</p><p>"I remember getting jumped at the lake — and drugged. And … not a whole lot else that I think you should hear," she replied honestly.</p><p>"I'm sorry," he said, reaching over to grab her hand.</p><p>"For what?" she asked, scrunching up her nose. "You didn't do anything wrong."</p><p>"I couldn't stop it," he said. "I tried — I tried everything I could, but I couldn't get them to let you go." He shook his head. "This whole thing would never have happened if I just… hadn't been an idiot and signed that stupid contract. They wouldn't have had the excuse."</p><p>"Chance …" Elin said, sounding both tired and not at all in the mood to listen to him beat himself up. "Do you remember when we were really little, my whole family left Westchester for a while?"</p><p>He rolled his eyes. "You mean that stupid video Charlie loves to play?"</p><p>"I'm not talking about the video," she said with a little laugh, turning further onto her side and watching him with her head resting on her bent arm. "I'm talking about <em>why </em>we were gone. Didn't you ever read that book J.J. Jameson wrote about my parents? Was that your fault too?"</p><p>Chance shook his head lightly. "I'm not ... I'm not saying I'm singlehandedly responsible for the Weapon X program, Elin. I'm not <em>that </em>much of an idiot."</p><p>"Well, you are if you think you have anything to do with this," she countered. "They told me flat out they were getting their investment back from Mom and Dad."</p><p>Chance let out a little breath and then leaned over to kiss Elin. "I just… I hated seeing you like that."</p><p>"What does the giant Elf always have to say about this kind of thing?" she said as she moved over on the bed and patted it, inviting him closer.</p><p>He smiled and shook his head at her. "Evil is evil; I know."</p><p>"Then stop it," she said. "Unless this is your way of trying to ditch me. Then you can just be straight about it."</p><p>"What? No," Chance shook his head quickly. "Come on, El. I've spent the last week in knots worried about you and you think <em>that's </em>where I was going with this?"</p><p>She shrugged one shoulder up. "Figured I'd give you an out."</p><p>"Yeah, I don't need an out," he promised her before he leaned over and stole another kiss. "Pretty sure you're stuck with me until you get tired of dealing with my crap."</p><p>"Don't hold your breath then, alright?" she said. "And this was family crap. Not just yours."</p><p>He grinned at her and leaned closer to kiss her again. "Missed you, El," he whispered.</p><p>"Sorry I disappeared on you," she told him.</p><p>"Well, evil is evil," he said with a steadily widening grin. "Or do you want to do that dance again? This time I'll play Kurt quotes and you can be full of self-guilt…"</p><p>"I'd rather just snuggle up, but if you want to play games …"</p><p>He went right back to kissing her for a long moment before he took a deep breath. "El… I'm not trying to leave, I swear, but I need to go to Chicago for a while," he said softly. "I'll be back, I swear. <em>I swear</em>, okay?"</p><p>Elin's smile fell entirely, and she started to shake her head. "You <em>just said </em>this wasn't a ditch."</p><p>"They were drugging me again," he tried to explain. "Probably wouldn't be able to leave when two years were out, if they had their way."</p><p>"I know, I can smell it," she said, though she sounded a lot more upset than he had thought she would. "But … no. They don't get to <em>screw </em>with you like that." There was a definite growl in her voice at that.</p><p>Chance raised both eyebrows her way and then very gently kissed her cheek. "They're not … they're not getting away with it, but I do have to detox, El."</p><p>"You're damn right they're not getting away with it," Elin said.</p><p>"And in the meantime, I don't want—"</p><p>"In the meantime, you just go ahead and stay here," she said. "Because if you're trying to be stupid enough to protect me from your bad mood, it won't be a problem. I won't be here." Her eyes were flashing as she started to shake off some of the weariness.</p><p>"Last time I yelled at you, El, and I can't do that to you again."</p><p>"I won't be here for you to yell at, Chance. I'm going with Mom and Dad. We're ending this."</p><p>His eyes widened for a moment, and he shook his head. "Wait a minute, you just got <em>away </em>from these losers!"</p><p>"And they put that … <em>thing </em>in my head," she said, the growl much clearer. "I'm hitting them back."</p><p>He shook his head and didn't drop her gaze. "You can't — damnit, El, I just got you back!"</p><p>"You were going to leave anyhow," she pointed out.</p><p>"That's different," he said.</p><p>She shook her head. "They want <em>my family</em> … so ... " She shrugged. "I don't think they're going to like it much when we give it to them."</p><p>"And I'm not saying you can't kick their butts nine ways to Sunday, but we've both just seen what happens when that doesn't work and—"</p><p>She leaned forward and gave him a kiss. "We've seen what happens when they get the drop on me. That was only ever going to happen once. You know Dad taught me right, and I'll be with him and Mom."</p><p>"I know," he agreed. He took a deep breath and held it and then kissed her cheek. "I just want you to be safe — from them and from my stupid. Okay?"</p><p>"What do you suggest, Sweet Summers?" Elin asked in her most open tone. "James has the way into their stupid device. The military is ticked off about the bogeys, and Stark is backing up this little mission, as Hank tells it. Mac … Mac is pissed off. They tried to cut around him."</p><p>"Yeah, I know. He wasn't anywhere we were; I never got to see him."</p><p>"Yeah, but he's on his way here," she said.</p><p>"Really?" Chance frowned.</p><p>"He and Dad are plotting — with Mom."</p><p>Chance couldn't help but smirk. "Alright," he said slowly. "Alright, okay, yeah, that's good, I just…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm allowed to be protective, alright?"</p><p>"Ditto," she said, arching one eyebrow.</p><p>He bit his lip and then nodded before he kissed her. "Just… I just have to know you're coming back. I was never gonna leave for that long. Just until … you know. My head's on straight."</p><p>She gave him a dry look. "You can detox here," she said quietly. "And until that whole miserable section starts … why don't you rest up with me a little bit?"</p><p>He nodded slowly and even started to smile as he simply moved over to wrap his arms around her. "You know I love you, right?" he whispered at last.</p><p>"You know I love you too, right?"</p><p>He grinned. "Nice to hear it, though."</p><p>She scooted over in the bed to make room, then snuggled in, resting her head on his chest as soon as he was partway comfortable. "You and your words. <em>Actions</em>, Sweet Summers."</p><p>"Right, yeah," he said with a slow smile before he just kissed her — not even noticing Hank slip out of the lab.</p><hr/><p>"Scott … I know you're likely terribly busy working out the best way to hit back, but do you have a moment to spare?" Hank said quietly.</p><p>Scott looked up from the laptop of information James had left him and then nodded, gesturing for Hank to take a seat nearby. "Always. What's on your mind? Is something else wrong?"</p><p>Hank closed the door behind him so they wouldn't be interrupted. "Have … you seen Chance with Elin?"</p><p>"Yeah, I know he was worried about her," Scott said.</p><p>"It's a bit more than just worried," Hank told him. "I think they're serious."</p><p>Scott turned in his seat to give Hank his full attention. "Henry," he said, shaking his head slowly, "Chance has worried about every girl he cares about. He's that way with the whole junior squad, to be honest."</p><p>"This is not just worry," Hank swore as he shook his head. "You need to see him for yourself."</p><p>Scott still looked skeptical as he got to his feet. "Are you sure you're not overstating — he was in shock—"</p><p>"Scott." Hank looked at him more seriously over the top of his glasses. "I am <em>not </em>the dramatic one in our midst."</p><p>Scott let out a breath but gestured for Hank to lead the way. "I just don't think — it's only been a few months," he said, shaking his head. "And you know emotions were running high after Viper."</p><p>"Mr. Summers … you need to stop and open your eyes for a change," Hank said, smirking at his own little joke.</p><p>Scott gave him a dry look. "Really?"</p><p>"Look for yourself," Hank said before pulling him along and launching into a long-winded, one-sided discussion of the device to cover the reason the two of them were in the lab when they got there.</p><p>Scott stood by Hank as he went through his explanation, but he'd already heard much of it from him and James earlier. Instead, he had an eye on Chance and Elin, noting the fact first of all that Chance had made himself perfectly comfortable sharing the hospital bed with her and the way that she was perfectly and contentedly curled into him.</p><p>The two teenagers were talking incredibly quietly together, and as Elin said something, Scott could see it this time, because he was looking — the wide grin on Chance's face as he drank in every word that Elin was saying, looking clearly like there was no place else that he would rather be.</p><p>And the fact that Chance looked so much like Scott made it especially easy to see — since Scott had seen the exact same expression in the mirror when he was that age, every time he was around Jean.</p><p>He turned back to Hank, who was still having his one-sided discussion but with an understated smirk, and was grateful when his old friend easily transitioned into an excuse that would take them out of the lab again with a quiet, "And if we check that against the information James has given us…" as they headed out until they were well down the hallway and Hank turned to fix him with an unmistakable look.</p><p>Scott shook his head at Hank as he tried to find something to say. "I… haven't seen ... is this a recent development?"</p><p>"It … has been building for quite some time," Hank replied "…but I think it was the case before all of this nonsense started."</p><p>Scott rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "Hank… that's…. He's eighteen."</p><p>"I wanted you to know what I saw — and confirm if I was seeing it," Hank replied. "I know I've seen that look before."</p><p>"Yeah." Scott let out a breath.</p><p>"It was a bit of whiplash, I don't mind telling you."</p><p>"Which time?" Scott asked with a dry look.</p><p>"Pretty much every time," he chuckled before he clapped his hand on Scott's shoulder. "I don't expect you to do anything. I'm not sure that it would do you a bit of good to even try, but … you needed to know everything I could tell you about your son's condition and frame of mind."</p><p>"I appreciate it, really," Scott said, still shaking his head. "I just… this wasn't what I ... Elin?"</p><p>"How old were you when you fell for Jean?"</p><p>"You know very well how old I was," Scott muttered.</p><p>"In this case, the purpose was to make you remember," Hank said with a shrug. "And is there something <em>wrong </em>with Elin?"</p><p>"Obviously not," Scott said, his eyes slightly narrowed. "But, Hank, she's Logan's daughter. And I don't want..." He shook his head. "You're right. I've seen that look in the mirror. I just don't want him to get hurt."</p><p>"Then perhaps next time, you should pay attention to <em>Elin's </em>expressions," Hank suggested.</p><p>"Hank," Scott said seriously, "Logan was ready to kill Peter Quill when Kitty had Nina. Not to mention the wedding."</p><p>"He also thinks that Peter Quill is an idiot," Hank replied. "He does not feel that way about Chance."</p><p>"This is his <em>daughter </em>we're talking about. The first child he got to raise <em>himself.</em>"</p><p>"So … you think they should end this relationship because you're afraid of his reaction?"</p><p>"I don't want him shutting them down," Scott shot back.</p><p>"Did he shut down Quill or Noh?"</p><p>"Hank, come on. You know it's different on an instinctual level here."</p><p>"Then I guess we'll just have to see what happens," Hank replied.</p><p>Scott rubbed both hands over his face and shook his head as he headed back to the War Room. "You know, I think I'd like to pour over some old Weapon X codes for a little light brainwork." He stopped outside the room. "The heads up is appreciated. Really. Just unexpected."</p><p>"Yes, I'm <em>sure </em>reading through Weapon X intel will help your mindset. Have fun," Hank called out before he bounded down the hallway back toward the lab, though he took a slight detour to where Logan and K were making their own plans and anticipating Mac's arrival.</p><p>"Hi Henry," K called out — though neither of them looked up at him. "How's sweet baby girl doing? Just about ready to go kick someone's tail?"</p><p>"She is indeed. Just like her mother," he said with a small smile. "She's recovering as she should be, and she's never without companionship."</p><p>"Good," Logan said with a nod, clearly focused on the maps in front of them, with notations all over them for what they were considering.</p><p>"I don't suppose either of you have noticed the way she looks at Chance," Hank said casually.</p><p>"Sure," Logan said. "Don't need to, though. Nose works fine still. Thanks for that."</p><p>Hank looked at him over the top of his glasses. "It's a bit more substantial than a simple fling."</p><p>"She's head over heels," Logan said, finally looking up at him. "So what d'ya think I'm missin'?"</p><p>"It's just that I have two people in my lab with expressions identical to ones I've seen on their parents. It's easy to identify when they take so much after their elders," Hank said.</p><p>Logan set down the papers in his hand and focused on Hank a little closer. "Does someone have a problem? Because from where I'm standing, it's for those two to work out on their own."</p><p>"No problems that I can see. I just thought it was something you should be aware of." Hank had a slight twinkle in his eye. "After all, the last time I saw that exact look…"</p><p>"I am more aware than anyone should be," Logan said flatly.</p><p>"Well then." Hank chuckled to himself as he got to his feet. "I see my time was wasted."</p><p>"Thanks, Henry," K called out in a sing song tone as she started pulling up blueprints of various buildings on the holotable. The ferals were in planning mode, and that meant nothing good for those that would be facing them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. The Flight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the Hudsons are ready to fight back too.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mac was out of breath when he showed up to help pin down the best order of attack against his own team. Or, more aptly, his junior team. No one knew their strengths and weaknesses better, no one knew the facilities they'd been going to better, and no one was going to argue with Mac and his short temper when he was <em>that </em>ticked off about <em>his team </em>being co-opted for illegal work. He was almost as red-faced as the maple leaf he was wearing.</p><p>And it was <em>Scott </em>that caught him on the front lawn looking like he was ready to commit bloody murder barehanded <em>himself. </em>"Mac," Scott said as the bright light faded from around Mac's flight suit, "Logan and K are going through intel in the War Room."</p><p>"Yeah, I figured. Did you get Chance out of the flight suit yet?" Mac asked. "I heard them saying they lost control and were going into lockdown. Didn't sound good and it's sure as <em>hell </em>not a feature <em>I </em>put in there."</p><p>"I'd hope not," Scott said, gesturing toward the house. "James took control of the suit remotely. Chance got out of it fine."</p><p>Mac paused, blinking at Scott for a moment. "He got into that remotely?"</p><p>Scott nodded once, a smirk threatening to break his serious tone. "Yeah. He and Stark are taking it apart now."</p><p>"No offense to Logan and James, but I want to see what they're doing to my suit."</p><p>"They're in James' lab. I'm sure they'll take your input if you want to help."</p><p>Mac blew out a breath and followed Scott into the mansion, down the halls, and looked more anxious the closer they got to James' lab. As soon as they stepped out of the elevator and turned to head down the hall to where James was, they could already hear the music drifting down the hall.</p><p>Scott shook his head. "Stark," he explained — which was really all he needed to say when the music was that loud.</p><p>When Scott opened the door to the lab, the scene in front of him was the pure product of how long James had been working with Tony on display for all to see. The two of them had the suit pretty well gutted, and while Tony worked on some of the hardware, James had a cable hooked into the onboard computer system. And still, he was handing Tony tools without breaking his stride or needing to be told what he needed or when. It was totally nonverbal between them. When Tony swore under his breath, James stepped back from the computer and took Tony's spot as Tony took a minute to breathe and reorder his thoughts … by doing the coding work James had left for him.</p><p>"How long have they done <em>that</em>?" Mac asked Scott quietly, staring at the way the two of them were working.</p><p>"I'm not entirely sure," Scott replied. He honestly didn't <em>know</em>. It had been a long time since he'd checked in <em>while </em>James was working on anything, but the look on the kid's face … James was obviously stressed out. And that on top of the guilt that he <em>knew </em>James was carrying after he and Tony had gone around couldn't be a good thing.</p><p>"I want to help, but I don't know what I can add …" Mac was saying in a faraway sort of voice as he watched, but a moment later, he took a step toward the two of them. Tony was the first to look up as Mac rested a hand on James' shoulder. "There's an easier in," he told James quietly, and for the first time since Mac had come in, James looked up at him and then stepped back to let Mac get into it himself.</p><p>The whole tone in the lab shifted as Mac started to work — answering Tony's questions with a tone that showed how out of his depth he thought he was to work with Stark. And for the time being, anyhow, it left James out of the loop with his hands shoved into his back pockets. He looked entirely uncomfortable in his own lab, which Scott was sure had <em>never </em>happened.</p><p>"Hey," Scott said quietly as he stepped up next to James. "You alright?"</p><p>James frowned and looked up at him for a second before nodding. "Sure. Just … doing what I can, I guess." He gestured to where Mac was trying to keep up with Tony the way James had … and the expression on Tony's face made it very clear that his patience wasn't the best just then. "I should probably let them work."</p><p>"From where I was standing, you were getting plenty done with Stark before we showed up," Scott pointed out: He paused, watching the stress lines on James' face, before he added, "And I think Mac could use the translator. Not everyone keeps up with Stark like you do."</p><p>"They'll be fine," James said. "He's just mad he didn't think of some of those elements himself. He'll lighten up now that he has the creator of this thing here to walk through it with him."</p><p>The two of them watched in silence as James' prediction came to life and Tony began to relax as he and Mac found a groove that worked between them, even if it wasn't anywhere near as seamless and smooth as James and Tony were as a unit.</p><p>"I should go see if I can be useful with Mom and Dad," James said. "They said I could join them when they go …" He faded off as he went from watching Mac and Tony to staring at his shoes. James cleared his throat. "I'm gonna go find a uniform of some sort."</p><p>Scott watched James for a single second before he made his decision and reached out to yank him into a hug. "Thanks," he said softly, "for rescuing my son. I'm proud of you." He knew James was lost in his head and wanted to remind him of the <em>good </em>he had done, and the hug seemed like his best option.</p><p>"I could have been a lot cleaner about it," James said, though he didn't stop the hug until Scott did. "At least they're home, right?"</p><p>"They are," Scott agreed, shifting so his arm was around James' shoulders. "Come on. Your parents wanted to coordinate with Mac before they left. Let's grab a bite in the meantime, huh?" As he said it, without even realizing it, he was leaning as heavily on James as he sometimes did on his cane — so James had a hard time saying no as they headed upstairs.</p><hr/><p>The Howletts were conspiring with Mac, the McCiys were conspiring with Annie, and the junior squad was conspiring internally — so Rachel slipped seamlessly into the lab without much fanfare.</p><p>Right up until she thwacked Chance in the back of the head as she came up to his bed.</p><p>"Ow." Chance rubbed the back of his head and flared at her. "What the heck?"</p><p>"Do you not listen to anything I say?"</p><p>"Hard to listen when my head is ringing, Rach," Chance said, still rubbing his head.</p><p>Rachel didn't stop, though. She knew her brother needed to hear something outside of the pity and care all around him. Because he <em>still </em>hadn't listened to her warnings. "This kind of thing?" she said, gesturing to his hospital bed. "This is <em>exactly </em>what I was worried about. You haven't given a single thought to yourself since you two went missing, have you? Or are your memories of bending over backwards to try to save Elin <em>wrong</em>?"</p><p>Chance say up straighter. "First of all, don't <em>peek</em>. And second, I had to try <em>something! </em>They had her—"</p><p>"I know," Rachel said. "And I'm not saying you can't be protective. But you're too willing to put yourself on the line, and even when the danger is passed, you're putting yourself last trying to detox without her."</p><p>"Last time—"</p><p>"Last time, you were out of your mind. You're not right now. So stop trying to be a martyr."</p><p>"That's not what—"</p><p>Rachel let out a noise from the back of her throat and then sat down beside him. "You're my little brother. Like it or not, I'd like to keep you around and alive. Stop sabotaging that."</p><p>Chance looked like he was gearing up to argue with her, but he was undermined by his own body when he got hit with a wave of nausea as soon as he drew himself up.</p><p>Rachel waited until Chance was feeling better before she sighed and softened her stance and her expression to pull him into a hug. He wasn't going to listen to her right then, but at least she could remind him of the family that loved him.</p><p>And she'd already said her piece anyway. She knew he'd chew on her advice for a while once he had time to himself. That was the best she could do without <em>interfering</em>.</p><p>Though if this nonsense kept up, she was seriously considering that step.</p><hr/><p>It wasn't until the next morning that Mac and the ferals had gotten done deciding on their best plan of action — and unfortunately, it involved making their case to the Avengers, since it was technically tied into a military entity. At first, the plan was to leave Elin behind when they went to the tower, but she pointed out that Chance's symptoms were kicking in a little quicker than before, and he'd made it clear that he didn't want her too close when that happened. So, she put on her uniform and joined her parents and Mac as James settled in for the time being to trace whatever activity the Canadians had going — and anticipate where they might try to move their junior squad of 'Alpha Flight'.</p><p>In the course of James' hacking, he'd discovered who the kids were - and outside of a couple of rotten apples that were voluntarily taking boost, the kid that was in charge of running the show — at least publicly — wasn't there of his own free will any more than Chance was. He had been an 'acquisition', bought on the black market Viper used to run. Both Logan and Mac agreed that the best thing they could do for him was to yank him out of there and get the kid's head on straight. Mac had even gone so far as to pull in Scott to clear the path for the kid to be hidden in one of the schools from whatever it was that Canada might try to pull to get him back.</p><p>It was the first time that Mac had ever honestly stood up against the Canadian authorities, and overnight, Heather and Oliver had slipped south over the border as a precaution. And that was what they were waiting on — for the two of them to show so that they could get moving.</p><p>"You're sure this isn't too much of a bother?" Heather asked once she and Oliver were into the house, their bags dropped near the front door as they rushed to see what was happening. All of the X-Men leaving were dressed to go to war, and Mac was proudly going alongside them in his flight suit — which James had triple checked to make sure that no one was following or trying to hijack him.</p><p>Annie beamed at Heather and shook her head as she waved them inside. "It's a relief to know our friends are safe," she assured her. "I'd be more worried with y'all up there where these people could just walk across the street and find you both. Please, come on in."</p><p>Heather gave her a warm smile and directed Oliver to follow Annie as she took just a second to give Mac a quick kiss. "Give 'em hell," Heather said. "They've been asking for it for a long time."</p><p>With that, the little group headed out, leaving Heather and Oliver to settle in, and Heather only took a moment to look around the kitchen and frown. "Where is Chance? I thought for sure he'd want in on this fight. Lord knows he's earned it."</p><p>Annie paused for a moment and let out a long breath. "He's downstairs, in the medical wing," she explained. "I thought Mac told you… the boost they were giving him has some wicked withdrawal symptoms, and doing it again isn't doing him any favors."</p><p>Heather frowned and shook her head. "No, he seemed to have left that part out — though to be fair, all he really said was to get out and that Chance was in some trouble with the people running things."</p><p>Annie took Heather's arm as she motioned for Heather to sit with her. "Yes, well, thankfully, this time they were only drugging my son for a week — which is not a sentence I thought I would say, but thus is the life of an X-Man's wife."</p><p>Heather looked livid. "You know Mac looked for months for the little weasel that pulled that stunt," she said.</p><p>"I know," Annie assured her with a gentle smile. "And you have to know Chance <em>never </em>blamed either of you. He knows you didn't know."</p><p>"He doesn't know how much I hate those people, though," Heather said, letting more than just anger show in her voice. "Do you have any idea how long they have been screwing with the people I love?"</p><p>"I know…" Annie paused. "I know these are the same people who did all those things to Logan and to K."</p><p>"Well… there can't be many of them. Most of them were dead years ago," Heather said, shaking her head before she settled into a glare. "I just hope he gets the rest of them this time."</p><p>"Heather," Annie said quietly, "the X-Men, the <em>real </em>Alpha Flight, and the Avengers are all working on this. They're not coming back from this." She paused, and her expression darkened for only a moment. "And if even one of them tries to worm out, I'll find 'em myself. Those are my kids."</p><p>Heather tipped her head to the side. "I feel the same way," she said. "But I didn't know you felt that way about Elin too… that's my little cousin, you know."</p><p>"I know," Annie said, her smile turning warmer. "But you know, I've helped to raise every kid that was born here, I taught them all through elementary school, and on top of that, my little boy is in love with her. Of course she's mine. I love her too."</p><p>Heather stared at her for a moment as she started to smile. "Is he now?"</p><p>Annie laughed. "I don't know if he's <em>said </em>as much, mind, but it's plain enough to see."</p><p>"I had heard rumors, but … I thought it was just a crush."</p><p>Annie smiled. "Honestly, Heather," she said as she got up to get the oven when it beeped, "I haven't seen him this happy since he was five years old and Logan agreed to teach him how to be a hero."</p><p>"Then I feel as if I have been robbed of something beautiful," Heather laughed. "What about little Elin?" She rested her chin in her palm as she leaned on the counter. "You know her well enough … how does she feel?"</p><p>"Oh, I'm sure it's mutual," Annie said with a little smile. "You can bet your shoelaces if it wasn't, I would be madder than Mac is right now."</p><p>"I want to check on your boy," Heather said. "And maybe grill him a little bit about his intentions."</p><p>"Well, I'm taking him a bit of food," Annie said. "But I can't promise that he'll be himself. The detox was hard on him last time." Her smile died as she thought about it.</p><p>"Yes, but … he was also drugged up with a lot of things from Viper too, wasn't he? I'm sure some of the severity was due to a few negative interactions. It would have had to be," Heather reasoned.</p><p>"That's what we're hoping," Annie agreed. She started arranging some trays as she spoke. "So far, he hasn't been … well … he hasn't been violent yet," she said with a bit of a frown, then shook her head. "Would you like to help me take these down? Scott's there with him."</p><p>"I would love to," Heather answered as she got to her feet to help.</p><p>Between the two of them, it took no time to get the trays set up and taken down to the boys, who were just sitting and talking together. And like Annie had said, it was a lot better than last time — no restraints, and Chance was chatting easily with Scott, though obviously, his hands were still shaking and he was clearly a bit irritable. But nothing nearly as dramatic as before. He even shot Heather a smile when she came in and waved at her. "Dad said you were coming in."</p><p>"I am so sorry we didn't get down here sooner, but I was trying to catch the creeps at the school while Mac was chasing down leads on the other side of the country," Heather said. "Those little idiots aren't going to get away with anything."</p><p>Chance nodded. "It's fine. I'm kind of glad you weren't or I'd have yelled at you when I was <em>crazy</em>, so, you know…" He shrugged up to his ears and rested his chin on his knees.</p><p>"Sweetheart, I saw Logan when he couldn't remember how to talk — a little yelling never bothered me much," Heather said as she gave his shoulder a squeeze.</p><p>He nodded at that as Scott got up to offer Heather his seat.</p><p>"No, no," Heather said. "I just wanted to pop in and say 'hi' and ... you know … ask Chance <em>what's new?</em>"</p><p>Chance looked between Heather and Annie, then almost smirked when he saw that his mom was grinning ear to ear. "Okay, Mom, thanks for the bus."</p><p>"I'm not even sorry, sweetheart," Annie said, setting the tray in front of him. "And try and eat something."</p><p>Chance shook his head again and then looked toward Heather. "We, um, started dating a few weeks after I was out of detox." He paused and looked down at himself. "You know. The first time," he added, a flash of irritation crossing his face.</p><p>She smiled his way. "You must have been feeling pretty good at that time, then," she said.</p><p>"Oh yeah," Chance said with a smile. "She's amazing… but you knew that."</p><p>"That … is not what I said," Heather replied. "But I do like to hear the ranting about my tiny cousin. In law. Kind of." She waved her hand. "You know it's some kind of little connection."</p><p>"She just calls you Aunt Heather and Uncle Mac," Chance pointed out.</p><p>"Yes, but Logan's got a Hudson for a mother," Heather said. "Forever ago."</p><p>Chance waved his hand and then fell silent for a bit as Scott got up to turn on the news, just in case the group that had gone out to Avengers Tower got picked up by reporters, since he needed to know if he needed to do any damage control.</p><p>Which was good timing, too, because it looked like the news had picked up something, anyway — the breaking news banner was flashing.</p><p>"Here we go," Scott muttered to himself, pulling up a chair so he could see what the deal was now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. A Good Man Goes to War</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the Canadians are falling apart.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Logan had taken the slow route to the city — mostly to be sure that all four of the people going to strike back were on the same page before they reached the tower, but also to make sure that there wasn't <em>too </em>much fanfare as the little group went to meet with Cap and Stark. Not that anyone missed the Alpha Flight member in their ranks.</p><p>After all of the hub-bub with Alpha Flight's little announcement concerning a junior X-Man, having Mac join them going in all dressed up in his flight suit would be a low-key but hard to discount show of solidarity between Mac and the X-Men against whatever it was that they might — or might not do — against them.</p><p>The streets were busy, as usual, but that wasn't really much of a concern since it <em>was </em>New York — and they couldn't even expect it to be empty in the dead of night. But they hadn't expected to see so many people slowing down to stare at the uniform-clad group.</p><p>The ferals were, of course, the first to notice, and by the time they got within sight of the doors to the tower, K and Logan had already quietly decided that K would make sure Elin got inside and up to Cap in case there was a problem — a move that really was only reinforced when, out of the crowd, a reporter and a camera man stepped forward with a mic extended toward Logan, who drew in a breath and stopped when he saw that this wasn't the only reporter closing in.</p><p>"Is this an official joint mission between Alpha Flight and the X-Men, and if so, is it a PR move in the wake of the allegations that came out tonight?"</p><p>"We don't do PR," Logan said, ready to push past the guy without a second glance.</p><p>"Then you're comfortable working together after their junior squad was compromised by your own junior X-Man?"</p><p>Logan stopped and turned toward the reporter with narrowed eyes. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>The reporter's eyebrows scraped his hairline. "You mean you don't have—" He stopped himself and shook his head. "The toxicology reports were leaked an hour ago. The national news networks picked it up five minutes after that… everyone knows about the drug problems that Chance Summers brought to the team that wrecked the group."</p><p>For just a moment, it was clear that Logan was ready to do … <em>something </em>as his entire body seemed to shift into something that anywhere else would have looked entirely predatory. "Chance Summers has never had a drug problem," Logan started out. "Let alone the idea that he might have <em>brought </em>a problem anywhere. The idiots that hijacked the Canadian school were shoving that crap into kids' faces and making it sound like a required thing to graduate." He paused long enough to really focus on the guy, livid with the accusations already. "The kids that refused — <em>like Summers</em> — had it slipped to them without their knowledge or <em>consent</em>." Logan squared up, not even looking at Mac as he kept going, his anger clearly starting to show through. "And the officials letting it happen were getting a direct supply line from Lady Hydra herself, so whatever garbage they're trying to peddle right now is a smear campaign to try and save their own backsides while they cover their tracks. And <em>only </em>because they got caught trying to pull some monumentally stupid crap with my daughter."</p><p>The reporter who had cornered Logan looked stunned, and several cameras were going off as another reporter stepped in. "Those are quite the accusations."</p><p>"He's absolutely right, though," Mac said. "They played a shell game with liaisons and bureaucrats for months, pushing kids into it behind my back — not that it's any excuse for my not knowing. I have been personally tracking down who it was that facilitated this massive case of child abuse, the people that suddenly ran to hide when their little operation was discovered, and I have all the paperwork to back it up."</p><p>The first reporter looked between Logan and Mac for a moment. "So you expect the public to believe that the months of toxicology reports were, what, because someone pushed? I thought you guys were running a school for heroes!" he added, though it wasn't clear which of the two men he was addressing.</p><p>"I expect the public to come to their own conclusions once they get all of the information," Logan said his way. "Until then, try <em>reporting </em>instead of directing the news. There is no way that James Hudson would ever allow this to go on under his nose if he had any knowledge. At all. And if you think that I'd stand by and watch it myself … well you might want to step a little closer and say it to my face." He glanced out at the group gathering and shook his head, looking more irritated and ready to fight. "The Xavier Institute has a strict policy against drugs. Always has."</p><p>"You have to admit it doesn't look good," a reporter said slowly, a bit braver than the rest. "An X-Man goes to Canada and everything falls apart… drugs were involved… your own daughter was seen with the group before it was compromised."</p><p>"My daughter has gone out of her way to avoid anything to do with Alpha Flight," Logan said with a glare his way. "She's an X-Man. Her job is to help mutants in trouble, not to dismantle anything."</p><p>"It wasn't an infiltration by the X-Men," Mac said. "And had it been, this mess would have been over months ago. Chance Summers came to that school after <em>I asked him</em> to try it out. And Elin Howlett was kidnapped by the same people that committed crimes against both of her parents."</p><p>"I know who was behind all of this mess — and it wasn't any member of Alpha Flight," Logan said. "And you can bet it's gonna be handled."</p><p>"That's… a very different story than what's been reported," the brave reporter said.</p><p>"Consider the source," Logan replied shortly.</p><p>"Then can we take it that Alpha Flight and the X-Men are retaliating? If this was a kidnapping and criminal acts were committed, as you say, is that why the Avengers are involved?"</p><p>"Who said they're involved with this?" Logan asked with a deep frown.</p><p>The reporter gestured around them. "Well, we are conducting this interview right by Avengers Tower."</p><p>"I'm just goin' to see an old war buddy," Logan said, still not blinking before he simply turned to push his way through the line up, though Mac took just a moment to give one last comment.</p><p>"The Xavier Institute has never had a drug problem — on the record or off — though I'd be happy to share the records that show otherwise for the Canadian school that was hijacked by the Canadian Government." He didn't wait to take a question before he fell into step behind Logan, who was by that time positively fuming.</p><hr/><p>And back at the institute, those in the med lab watched the whole interview as it went down, obviously surprised and then gradually turning more entertained as Logan and Mac teamed up to take down the Canadian story going around.</p><p>It had started out a little dicey, with Chance obviously irritated at the story and muttering about "no mention of <em>how </em>I got this way," though once Logan squared his shoulders, Scott sat up a bit.</p><p>"Oh, here it comes," he muttered under his breath — with no idea what Logan was going to do, just that he was ready for a fight.</p><p>So when Mac and Logan started building off of each other through the whole question and answer session, Scott had to resist the urge to suggest that they get comfortable with some popcorn, though the thought honestly crossed his mind. Logan didn't step into the public ring often, but Scott was coming to appreciate it when he did.</p><p>"They know their game's up," he said, shaking his head. "At this point, they're just trying to take as many of us down with them as they can."</p><p>"Desperate," Annie said, though she was leaning back with her arm around Chance.</p><p>"They have no idea what they just did," Heather said quietly. "They tried to make it public." She turned toward Scott. "They … <em>they tried to make it public.</em> He's going to destroy them publicly."</p><p>"They said they were going to," Chance said quietly. "When I tried to get out."</p><p>"Yeah," Heather said, wide-eyed, "but … they started a public fight with Logan … and he won't even need to go after them. He knows how to play this game."</p><p>Scott paused and then very slowly started to smirk. "We should get something for the two of you. Popcorn, maybe," he said, the smirk turning into a smile, though he paused and held up a hand when his phone went off.</p><p>"Scott, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Steve asked, skipping over his usual polite hello when Scott picked up.</p><p>Scott couldn't help but grin at that. "It's all over the news, yeah."</p><p>"Not from the angle I'm watching it … " Steve said. "I can't believe they're asking him those questions when he's <em>that </em>mad. Hell, I can spot it from here."</p><p>"I'm not sure if that makes them brave or stupid, honestly," Scott couldn't help but smirk.</p><p>"Is there some combination of the two?" Steve asked dryly. "Seriously though, Scott — do you have the documentation on all of this? Because if they kidnapped a couple of Americans …" He let out a breath. "That's it. It's over."</p><p>"Talk to Stark — he should be getting the transfer of files from James any second now," Scott said.</p><p>"He's been giggling for the last half hour," Steve said, then paused. "Right. So. That's a good thing, and James can relax about the armor then, I'll bet."</p><p>Scott smirked. "James will be glad to hear it. He <em>did </em>feel bad, but honestly… I'd have made the call even if he'd brought me in."</p><p>"No, I understand. It was a necessary precaution," Steve said. "Kid made the right call."</p><p>"And he got all of the files and got into their system…" Scott paused. "Right down to the fact that they've been involved in the black market 'trade' for kids. That junior team leader of theirs was <em>bought</em>, Captain."</p><p>"Yeah, I got the text from Logan; once he's done chewing on the reporters, we're going to go liberate the kid."</p><p>"I really appreciate the backup on this," Scott said. "I'm trying to stay out of it because it's my family."</p><p>"His too," Steve said, then he let out a soft 'oh crap' when Logan's snotty remark about talking to a war buddy aired. "How does he … <em>how </em>… does he manage to cover a name drop without a name drop?"</p><p>"Can't help you there," Scott said with a smirk.</p><p>"So much for trying to go covert … though I think he wanted them to know he was coming anyhow."</p><p>"They knew he was coming. They can't be <em>that </em>stupid not to think he was coming after they took Elin."</p><p>"You know you had it right — they took the kids as bait, I'm sure. Wiccan only gave me an overview, but considering their history… Scott. We have to sink them and do it big."</p><p>"Yeah, Billy gave us a little more detail and a peek into the 'could have been', to be honest," Scott said. "And I don't mind telling you that I'd be more than happy to see them leveled."</p><p>"I'm going to try and stay out of the press myself — it's his fight, and honestly … I think he's got it covered."</p><p>"Yeah, and he's got the history," Scott said. "And with Mac Hudson stepping up on this… I don't doubt that they'll be wrecked by the time this is over."</p><p>"Keep me in the loop if you can," Steve said. "Looks like they're headed up, and he looks even <em>more </em>furious now."</p><p>"Will do. And please, do the same," Scott said.</p><p>"You can count on it," Steve replied before he wished him good luck — and asked that he pass his regards on to Chance.</p><hr/><p>"Well, you look terrible."</p><p>Chance looked up and grinned when he saw Ollie in the doorway. He'd already seen Heather and Mac, but Ollie had gotten caught up in the tour and in catching up with his friends in the Howlett family. He was finally getting down to the med bay to talk to Chance — and seeing for the first time what his friend looked like all strung out.</p><p>With a wave of his hand, Chance indicated a seat nearby for Ollie to join him. "You should have seen me the first time when I was recovering from poisons on top of boost."</p><p>"I think I'll pass," Ollie said, making a face.</p><p>"Yeah, anyone who was actually there would agree with that choice." Chance shook his head. "I was literally out of my mind. Thought Hank was trying to poison me. Thought Elin was out to get me."</p><p>"Wow. All things considered, that sucks on multiple levels," Ollie said as he sat down.</p><p>Chance nodded seriously. "You said it."</p><p>Ollie leaned back, watching Chance and biting his lower lip before he said, tentatively, "I think I owe you an apology."</p><p>"For <em>what</em>?" Chance blinked at Ollie as if he was speaking another language.</p><p>"I'm pretty sure that, outside of your teams, I was the closest person to you in Canada, and I was <em>definitely </em>there for a lot of the crap with Jamie…"</p><p>Chance shook his head quickly. "You pointed out how weird it was. Multiple times. Not like you could have known I was being drugged into bad decisions."</p><p>Oliver shrugged. "Yeah, well, I still feel like I missed several red flags."</p><p>"We all did," Chance promised. "Besides, I'd have gone insane if I hadn't had a <em>real </em>friend at that school, and seeing as I skipped straight to Alpha Flight status when I got there, you were the only one who didn't hate me."</p><p>"Debatable," Ollie said with a self-deprecating smile. "I was definitely jealous."</p><p>"Really?"</p><p>"Yeah. Didn't expect you to come and be my parents' favorite."</p><p>Chance shook his head and sat up straighter. "You kidding? Half of practices, they were bragging about how smart you are. You might not have been on the team, but I swear, the team probably would have known every time you lost your baby teeth if what I'm seeing was any indication."</p><p>"Yeah, well…" Ollie tried to shrug it off, but Chance could see that he was glad to hear it.</p><p>"Hey, seriously, thanks," Chance said. "Want to watch some Wyatt Erp with me?"</p><p>Ollie broke into a grin. "Now you're talking. I'll get the snacks."</p><hr/><p>James had been working on this project for nearly 18 hours straight, and he was in a real stride by the time he had sent the first of the documents to the press. He looked determined and had separated out different sets of documents that were neatly packaged to show exactly how Hydra and Viper tied in to each step — and how Weapon X had their grubby fingers in just about every angle of the Canadian School by the time Mac's position had been shifted from the guy that had started it and cared for every step involved to his mostly PR angle as the face of Alpha Flight that was working to make things better for Canadian powered kids.</p><p>And he was just finishing up the program that he'd designed to send one of those little packets of headline gold every eight hours. There was enough to cover the news for over a week — which would be more than enough time to totally destroy what they'd tried to build there. It was the gift that would keep on giving until they were flattened.</p><p>His knee was bouncing as he worked … and to his right sat a nearly full cup of ice-cold coffee and a plate full of food that Annie had dropped off for him hours ago — totally untouched.</p><p>"You know, if it had been my wife and not me coming in here, you'd get an earful," Scott said as he knocked on the doorway.</p><p>"Not really worried about it," James replied, not even looking up at him.</p><p>Scott nodded as he came to sit by James. "I just got off the phone with Captain America a while ago. He said Tony's been giggling."</p><p>"He got the full package of the documents ahead of everyone else," James said.</p><p>Scott smirked. "Yeah, well, apparently he's pretty much forgotten all about the suits with the mood he's in. I wanted to pass that on."</p><p>"I highly doubt that's true," James said dryly.</p><p>"At any rate," Scott said. He looked over James' shoulder. "Do you think you can let me know a general overview of each package you're sending out? We were taken off our guard on this public announcement, and I want Chance to be prepared. Annie too."</p><p>"Sure," James said. "The first one … that should hit the press in about … oh—" He stopped long enough to look over his shoulder at the television that was broadcasting parts of the impromptu interview again. "—ten minutes, I'd guess, for whoever's trying to jump it… is how their claim on Chance being a druggie is crap — basically hits the toxicology reports but also the other papers that go with it, the notes that say how their contact for him was to up the dosage by whatever means necessary and that they didn't want to know exactly the delivery method but also to keep it quiet from him." James took a breath and let most of it out quickly. "And, of course, the direct ties to Viper … her system was slightly more advanced than Canada's."</p><p>"Slightly." Scott watched the television for a moment with his mouth pressed into a thin line.</p><p>James tipped his head for just a moment but didn't really go into detail. "Maybe a little more than slightly. Still less than at least … four that I know of off the top of my head."</p><p>Scott nodded and then reached over to squeeze James' shoulder. "Thank you," he said.</p><p>"Sure," James said before he hit a few more keys and sat back with a sigh.</p><p>"You need to take care of yourself too," Scott pointed out. "You've already saved them, and then you've taken it a step further and saved their good names."</p><p>"Still doesn't feel like much."</p><p>"James," Scott said, tipping his head to the side. "You've done so much, especially for my family. Really — thank you."</p><p>James nodded and then closed the laptop in front of him. "Let me know if you need anything else," he said. "I'm gonna go hit something."</p><p>"You know where to find me," Scott said.</p><hr/><p>After the first wave of information dumped on the news agencies about an hour after it was sent to the Justice Department, SHIELD gave the order to send in a covert team to extract the members of Alpha Flight's junior team.</p><p>And considering the way that this group was working, SHIELD was only going to work in a supportive capacity for the raid.</p><p>The raid itself was headed up by Logan and K, of course — though Elin talked them into letting her help, considering the fact that she'd been the one they'd attacked last. Bait or no, she was out for blood, and both of her parents could empathize with her on that point.</p><p>There was no warning before they hit — with SHIELD backing them up, it was like watching a sinking ship. As the three ferals rushed in at different entry points, Weapon X soldiers and operatives seemed to pour out of the facility — and right into the hands of SHIELD agents making it a point to pick each and every person up that exited the building, with Miles Morales at the head of the whole thing delightedly grinning over the assignment and the chance to see the total destruction that this family was capable of when they put their minds to it.</p><p>"You guys totally screwed yourselves," Miles said cheerfully as the agents rounded up the various people — both administrative and otherwise — that tried to run out. "Just so you know. This is, like, the definition of karma."</p><p>Meanwhile, Logan was on his own path in — and tearing up anyone that was dumb enough to even <em>try </em>to engage him on his way through — but he wasn't on the path for the team they were trying to liberate. Instead, he was on his way into the worst of the fight as he looked for the guy in charge of this branch of things, leaving the job of finding the kids to K and Elin. Not that they were being very nice about their full frontal assault either. Though K and Logan were working with their claws, Elin was taking many of the soldiers she came across off-guard when she approached with her sword instead, though the cuts were just as nasty, and she was every bit as wicked about it as she fought.</p><p>The little group was nearly to a converging point when they finally found the area of the barracks where the team was being kept. Word had gotten out to those still deep in the complex that the Howletts were out for blood — and those that hadn't already faced them weren't too worried about job security by the time they'd made it that far.</p><p>As the three ferals met up again, there was a massive plume of fire, and Logan pushed both Elin and K back, getting himself singed pretty badly in the process but keeping both of them from dealing with that little bit of healing.</p><p>"You're not welcome here!" Mark called out, standing behind his sister and sounding smug as she charged up her flames.</p><p>K and Elin shared a look as Logan winced, trying to keep out of the girl's sight line to avoid getting roasted any further. "I'll draw their attention," K said before Logan could argue, then darted out — literally drawing the girl's fire so Elin could slip past the bottleneck where the three of them had been pinned down.</p><p>The flames came close but didn't hit K, and Mandy was forced to pull it back as K brought her arc in line with Mark — obviously testing to see what Mandy's attention span and limits were.</p><p>The girl swore and, out of spite, shot another heavy stream of flames toward Logan, though she hadn't seen where Elin had gone. Mandy was smirking to herself as she cranked up the heat — all the way up until Elin sent her sword through the girl's shoulder and then absolutely slapped the hell out of her with everything she had, spinning her around. She reclaimed her sword and simply went to pounding the crap out of her, lip curled back and growling.</p><p>Mark, of course, made a grab for her, one arm enlarged to ridiculous proportions, but K darted in from his opposite side and sent both sets of claws through that arm, then sliced downward — shredding the boy to the point that medical intervention was a very real necessity.</p><p>"What about the other two morons?" K said — in a loud enough voice to be a clear bait to the last two members of the team as Logan stood up and stepped into the room with the girls.</p><p>"Come out and don't be stupid," Logan called to them. "You're leaving one way or another. Makes no difference to me if you're under your own steam."</p><p>The youngest member of the team, Alec, came out with a very wide-eyed sort of look with his hands raised, though Deric was halfway standing in front of him, also with his hands raised. "We're not looking for a fight," Deric said quickly.</p><p>"Yeah, I've heard that before," Logan growled out. "How'd that turn out last time?"</p><p>Deric just kept his hands up a little higher. "We didn't get any orders this time," he said, which was the first he'd really admitted to how much the department had been pulling their strings.</p><p>Logan stopped and tipped his head slightly. "Do you want to be here?" he asked cautiously. "Working for them?"</p><p>Alec was faster to shake his head, but both of them were shaking their heads. "No," Deric said.</p><p>"What happens if you don't follow orders?" K asked; she had just finished choking Mark out.</p><p>"It's different for each of us," Deric said, frowning toward Mark, though he quickly looked back toward Logan. "Alec gets strung out faster than the rest of us. Me…" He shrugged lightly. "I couldn't explain it. I literally can't form the words."</p><p>"Do any of you have implants?" Elin asked, stalking forward with a glare even as Logan and K traded looks, since they recognized exactly the kind of conditioning Deric was talking about.</p><p>"Tracers," Deric said, raising an eyebrow at her.</p><p>"Show me where," K said, walking his way.</p><p>Deric stepped slightly back and turned Alec at the shoulder to point out the spot on the back of his arm. "Right here."</p><p>K didn't bother warning him before she popped a claw and cut deep enough to dig the thing out and then took a moment to examine it, flat ignoring Alec when she did so. She pocketed the tracer and then pointed a finger Deric's way. "If you move, the cut will be crooked."</p><p>Deric looked a bit wide-eyed as he glanced down at the suit he was wearing. Alec hadn't been wearing one. "I can't… that's why I showed you Alec's," he said slowly. "I can't get out."</p><p>K shook her head and turned him away from her as Logan waited for her to make the cut, only then clueing him in. "Those suits don't stop adamantium, kiddo. Or did they forget to tell you that?"</p><p>"Apparently," Deric said with a wince.</p><p>"I think these two are ready for AD Morales," K said, pulling Deric along as Elin took over on Alec. "The other two …"</p><p>"I have collars," Logan said, heading their way at an easy pace. "Let 'em run if they want to; they'll just be that much more pissed off when regular SHIELD agents pick 'em up."</p><p>"Not that … um…" Alec bit his lip. "Not that the no-collars thing isn't appreciated? But we don't want to work for SHIELD either?"</p><p>Logan stopped and turned his way. "How did you get mixed up in this mess?" He fixed him with a look and raised one eyebrow. "I already read your files, so just tell me where they found you."</p><p>Alec shifted a bit and looked to Deric before he nodded slowly. "I, uh, well, I couldn't figure out how to <em>not </em>shapeshift into animals? I was kinda … a stray." He rubbed the back of his neck. "They said I could be a hero?"</p><p>"So they found you," K surmised. "Was it Mac?"</p><p>"No, the pretty redhead," Alec said with a sheepish smile.</p><p>K smirked. "Heather?"</p><p>"Yeah, she said she could help me," Alec said with a nod. "And she could! And I wanted to help too, so I … well, I signed up!"</p><p>"What about you, Deric?" Logan said.</p><p>Deric stared at Logan for a moment, realizing that he hadn't butchered his name, then let out a breath. "I've been here for a few years," he said. "Before that, I was in Madripoor… but you knew that, if you have our files."</p><p>Logan let out a disgusted sound. "They didn't mention where they got you from — only that they paid," Logan said, shaking his head. "That's not what's happening. At all. Ever."</p><p>"The payment or the rest of it?"</p><p>"Any of it," Logan said.</p><p>"The woman who peddled you is dead," K told him. "And now that you're on our radar, you're under our protection. As long as you don't do anything stupid like try to take over the world."</p><p>"Our school has a mission statement," Elin told the boys. "Follow that and you'll be fine."</p><p>"And what's that?" Alec asked.</p><p>"It's the whole peaceful coexistence," Elin said, shaking her head. "Only we mean it."</p><p>"No drugs," K said. "No forced time on a team; in fact, I doubt that I'd be overstretching it to say you're probably not allowed on the team until you prove yourself otherwise."</p><p>"That's fine," Deric said quickly.</p><p>"And you don't have to join either," Logan clarified, leading the way out once the brother and sister combo were collared.</p><p>Deric looked thoughtful, though Alec was grinning at that. "Try being normal, huh?"</p><p>"That's the idea," Elin said.</p><p>"What's the catch?" Deric asked at last.</p><p>"The catch is that you have to keep making yourself better," Logan said. "Whatever that ends up being for you — keep improving."</p><p>By that point, they had reached the outside, where Miles was waiting with a huge grin. "Oh, hey, look, the triumphant return," he teased.</p><p>"I want these two scanned for anything that shouldn't be on them before we take 'em back to Westchester," Logan said. "They're gonna need a detox too." He thumbed over his shoulder. "The other two need an attitude adjustment. Let them detox wherever the hell you think is best that's not where I gotta listen to 'em."</p><p>Miles nodded at that and was already directing a few agents on where to take the brother-sister duo. "One attitude adjustment coming up. Do you want dessert with that?" he asked, clearly in a good mood.</p><p>Logan gave him a dry look. "Not in the mood, spider-brat."</p><p>"Why not? These guys're going down… which they <em>totally </em>deserve, by the way…"</p><p>Logan stopped and turned back Miles' way. "They're not down yet. You want to celebrate when it's over? Fine. But not now."</p><p>Miles paused a moment and then grinned and pointed Logan's way. "I'm gonna hold you to that, you know."</p><p>Logan waved him off over his shoulder as he headed for the jet with both K and Elin on either side of him.</p><p>Miles just grinned and turned back to his agents and the new charges. "Well, you heard the <em>actual </em>AD around here," he muttered under his breath before he started cheerfully directing traffic around the place.</p><hr/><p>To Chance's utter relief, the part of the detox process where he felt like he was going out of his mind hadn't lasted nearly as long as it had the first time, and it hadn't been nearly as bad. He'd been through a day where everything <em>irritated </em>him, but beyond that, there was no yelling.</p><p>On the other hand, that meant the part where he felt absolutely miserable had come up pretty fast, and he was sweaty and tired and miserable — but hey, he felt like himself. More or less.</p><p>Which meant he had very little to distract him from worrying when he saw that Hank had spent the last fifteen minutes preparing two beds, though he didn't say who it was for, only that Logan's mission to Canada was over and they were coming back any moment.</p><p>"That bad?" Chance asked.</p><p>Hank shrugged. "I guess we'll see," he said easily. "It's hard to tell."</p><p>"Who're the beds for, Hank, seriously," Chance said.</p><p>Hank gave him a look over the top of his glasses. "I didn't ask," he said.</p><p>Chance took a deep breath. "Alright," he said, leaning back into the pillows to wait, watching the news coverage of the total implosion of the Canadian weapons program — which was pretty spectacular at this point.</p><p>It wasn't very long after the jet landed when the doors to the lab opened up and Elin stepped in ahead of Alec and Deric, gesturing toward Hank. "Meet your doctor. Don't give him any trouble or he'll put you on the ground," she told them before she let out a breath and headed over by Chance. "I'd give you a hug, but I really need to wash the blood off."</p><p>Chance smiled at her. "I guess I'll have to be patient, but I'll hate the wait," he teased before he tipped his head toward the two Alpha Flight members. "What's up?"</p><p>"Hmm?" she said, turning toward the two boys. "Oh, there is no junior Alpha Flight team anymore. These two are here seeking treatment and relocation at the very least."</p><p>"Sounds like you've been busy."</p><p>She glanced down at herself and barely sat on the edge of the bed — careful to avoid getting any blood on the sheets. "Not too busy, honestly. Just … kicked the crap out of a couple soldiers."</p><p>"Beat down Mandy," Alec said from across the room with an amused smirk.</p><p>Chance raised an eyebrow for a moment and then smirked at Elin. "Scary girlfriend of mine," he teased.</p><p>"She tried to torch my dad," Elin said with a shrug. "She needed her trash kicked around. Again."</p><p>"Then she was asking for it," Chance agreed, then waved his hand at Elin. "You're going to have to change or something, because I just want to kiss you right now, and I can't when you're bloody or Hank will have a fit."</p><p>"Squeamish," she said in an airy tone before she popped up onto her toes and headed out of the med lab.</p><p>"Your girlfriend is terrifying," Alec said quietly.</p><p>"Yeah she is," Chance said, though he sounded prouder than he sounded worried.</p><p>"You seem to keep up okay."</p><p>"Oh, never," Chance said, grinning even wider as he leaned back. "She's so out of my league; thanks for noticing."</p><p>The two former Alpha Flight members shared raised eyebrows at that, but Chance was hard to argue with when he was so genuine about it.</p><p>Elin came back a short time later — freshly showered and clean — though she didn't hesitate to hop up next to him, even if she was at least on top of things enough not to curl in too tightly.</p><p>Chance smirked and stole a kiss. "I don't want you to think I don't like the Viking look," he said very quietly.</p><p>"I'm not too worried about that," she replied. "And there isn't much that's Viking about the blue uniform and a samurai sword after all."</p><p>"Yeah, but you've got the murder strut and the blood of your enemies," he teased.</p><p>She grinned at him and shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about," she laughed. "You want to demonstrate for me what a murder strut is?"</p><p>"Oh sure. I'll just walk right down the runway for you," he deadpanned.</p><p>"So you're really just saying you're watching my butt?" she teased.</p><p>"Is that what you'd be doing?" he teased.</p><p>"Yes," she replied, perfectly straight-faced.</p><p>"Then I guess I'd better get on that. Now if only I could do the walking thing," he teased as he laid his head on her shoulder.</p><p>She turned to kiss the top of his head. "It won't be long."</p><p>"Yeah, I know, but in the meantime, I'm just glad you're back," he said with a smile. "How's the takedown coming, other than the Mandy thing?"</p><p>She shrugged. "There was a data breach, as I'm told — that's all going into the stack of stuff that James is playing with."</p><p>"What's the data breach on this time?" Chance asked.</p><p>"Just more of their records. I think we're past what they did to you now, but you'd have to ask James for sure. Last I checked, he was working up the drop on the uniform controls and how they could forcibly control a person's body if they were in the suit." Elin looked over to the other two boys. "I'm sure that'll make them some friends in the public. Not creepy at <em>all.</em>"</p><p>"That'll freak people out more than anything," Chance said. "Because… well. That can be used on anyone. Human, mutant…"</p><p>"They're not putting the thing they did with me public at all. The records and the guy that created it — and installed it? He's … well." Elin didn't look sorry in the least as she let out her breath and leaned back with Chance. "It's unusable on anyone but a healer, and seeing as there aren't a ton of us …"</p><p>Chance nodded and kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad it's not out there," he admitted. "If I had my way, your name wouldn't come up at all. No reason for you to get dragged around."</p><p>She smiled his way. "I'm not getting dragged around," Elin promised.</p><p>"Yeah, I know, it's all just words ... except, you know, that's crap and it does hurt, so…"</p><p>"Dad's the one in the bullseye of that target," she said, her tone shifting to one a little more down. "And he's just waiting for it."</p><p>"It'll be a pretty epic takedown, I'm sure," Chance said with a smirk, then tipped his head toward the TV. "Great television so far. Mac's killing it too. I don't think I've ever seen him that mad."</p><p>"Well, you didn't see him when James put a dead beaver in his bed," Elin said. "It happens."</p><p>"I haven't heard that story, and I feel cheated now," he told her.</p><p>She shrugged, wide-eyed. "I just told you."</p><p>Chance leaned over and kissed her. "Yeah, but I want to say something about making it up…"</p><p>"You want me to make it up to you?" she asked. "How <em>ever </em>will I manage that?"</p><p>"I dunno, but I gotta tell you, I'm pretty sure we're freaking out the Alpha Flight kids," he said in a low, low whisper.</p><p>"Ah, that's where you picked up the squeamish from then," she whispered back just as low and with a touch of a growl.</p><p>He grinned even wider and pulled her into a long kiss. "El, if I was squeamish, you'd know by now," he said. "Besides, now I feel bad. You look so nice, and I'm all sweaty and gross."</p><p>"I don't look that nice," she said. "Beat up jeans and a t-shirt isn't exactly fancy."</p><p>He kissed her again with a smirk. "Didn't notice what you were wearing."</p><p>"You are a terrible flirt, Sweet Summers," she replied.</p><p>"Well, if I'm that bad at it, I need to keep practicing," he teased.</p><p>She chuckled at that and wriggled in to get a little more comfortable. "Actions, Sweet Summers. When you're not so miserable."</p><p>"All I got's words right now, but I'll make that up to you too," he promised and kissed her again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Hudson Attack</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the Canadians get desperate.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So, we've got everything worked out and legal, and if they try to come after you, that's SHIELD's jurisdiction now," Peter Parker said to Mac as the two of them finished up. Mac had been filling him in on everything that he knew about the program and the rest of the crap that had been going down, and for his part, Peter was enjoying the chance to dabble in some relocation and a tiny bit of witness protection, too, even if it wasn't the full go-undercover-change-your-name kind of thing. "So if you have any problem, there's about a zillion things I'm authorized to do to these creeps.</p><p>Mac let out a breath, though it was clear that the reassurance wasn't lifting the burden as much as he'd hoped it would. "I appreciate it," Mac said. "I just never thought I'd have to do anything like this, so I'm not real … thanks."</p><p>Peter nodded slowly at that. "Yeah… I don't really envy you," he admitted. "Heather and Oliver okay?"</p><p>"Yeah, they've been making the most out of their time at Xaviers," Mac said with a little smirk. "Might as well, right?"</p><p>"Sounds horrible," Peter said with a smirk. "What an awful punishment."</p><p>"I know, it's a real torture fest," Mac replied, laughing lightly. "You'd think Mrs. Summers likes guests or something the way she's been going."</p><p>"I swear, I think I gain five pounds every Hanukkah?" Peter laughed.</p><p>Mac stood up and clapped a hand on Peter's shoulder. "It's a horrible welcome to retirement."</p><p>Peter's smile dropped a bit as he nodded seriously. "Yeah, well, better benefits package than some people got," he said. "But listen, I was serious: you need anything, you let me know."</p><p>"Sure thing," Mac said with a little wave as he headed out, obviously ready to get away from all of the official nonsense and back to his family. But he didn't get too far out of the doors before he was all but surrounded by reporters looking for a comment.</p><p>"Mr. Hudson, what can you tell us about the legal ramifications of your team being the cause of these international incidents?" one reporter asked.</p><p>"And how long do you think it will be before it becomes a criminal case against you?" another chimed in.</p><p>Mac clearly wasn't prepared for one reporter, let alone a whole pack of them, and the questions were definitely not what he'd been expecting. But a simple 'no comment' wouldn't do him any good. "I'm afraid I'm not a lawyer," Mac said. "So I really don't have an answer to either of those, guys."</p><p>"Then can you at least tell us if SHIELD will be pressing charges? Or the Canadian federal courts?"</p><p>"I… really don't know that either," Mac said, coming to a stop. "I haven't been notified by either."</p><p>"Well is there anything you <em>can </em>tell us?" the first reporter asked.</p><p>Mac shrugged openly and gestured with both hands. "Just that I'm out of the biz, guys. That's it for me."</p><p>Though that kind of announcement really only prompted another frenzy of questions as the reporters started a whole new round. "Was this a voluntary decision?"</p><p>"It was something that I was planning for a while," Mac said, one hand up in front of him. "It has nothing to do with the most recent revelations with the school or the weapons group or anything like that."</p><p>"But the timing can't be a coincidence."</p><p>"I can't help the timing," Mac said. "I was hoping to get a replacement to continue the team, but I just don't think that's anything that anyone wants."</p><p>"The official word is that Alpha Flight has been completely disavowed. Do you think that will affect the legacy your team leaves?"</p><p>Mac frowned at that. "I wasn't aware that the government was breaking ties," Mac said. "But considering everything that's happened, I'm not too worried about any kind of a legacy for the team."</p><p>"We've got Wolverine on record — and this is the quote — saying that Alpha Flight was your baby. You can't expect anyone to believe that you're not going to see the fallout from everything that your team did to kids and civilians."</p><p>Mac's gaze hardened as he looked toward the reporter that had asked that one. "Yes, in the beginning, Alpha Flight was mine. I started the team, I pushed to do as much good as we could … but that doesn't mean that I was in control of how everything ended up. The team was not involved with the school like it seems. We were trying to do something clearly beyond our grasp, but Alpha Flight never did anything to kids or civilians but try to help." He took a breath and tried to rein in his temper. "The truth was: we tried to be too big, too fast — and we were operating under the control of the government. And considering everything I knew about how they treated certain individuals over the years, it shouldn't have been attached at all in anything like an official capacity."</p><p>"So the government is saying it was you; you're saying it was them," one reporter summed up.</p><p>"Yet only one side has a history of doing this kind of thing," Mac said. "And it's not me."</p><p>The reporters were starting to pare off now that they had the quotes they needed at that, though a couple stuck around for some follow up, asking about his retirement and whether relations were still good between the now-defunct Alpha Flight and the X-Men, that sort of thing. But by that point, the interview session was more or less over, and he was just repeating what he'd said a hundred times to those questions about the teams.</p><p>A few of them were restaging to do wrapups for the news report, summarizing the highlights for the news team to edit the footage from the interviews for sound bites later, when there was a sharp sort of sound that had everyone ducking instinctively. And just like that, the whole news story changed when one of the cameraman caught the exact moment a gunman shot Mac on B-roll.</p><p>Because the recording hadn't been live, it wasn't broadcast, but that didn't mean that the people back at the institute didn't see it about five minutes later broadcast after the commercial break as breaking news — and Scott's phone was ringing off the hook from Peter calling from SHIELD.</p><p>Scott was already on his way out the door and didn't say more than just, "Logan!" on the way past him.</p><p>Logan didn't even ask what the story was before he fell into step with Scott, knowing he'd hear about it on the way to whatever. "No uniforms?"</p><p>"This isn't official business," Scott said. "Mac was shot. They caught it on camera after the reporters ambushed him on the government trying to throw him under the bus."</p><p>Logan's entire body language shifted, and he didn't say another word for the rest of the way to the city.</p><p>Once they got to the medical facility inside of SHIELD, Logan looked all the more upset. "He'd already testified."</p><p>Peter nodded. "We got the guy that did it, but he was dead when we got there. Best guess? They were mad he was hard to pin the whole thing on. Probably easier to pin it on a dead guy," he said, rubbing a hand through his hair to make it stand up a bit as he shook his head.</p><p>"Cheap shot," Logan growled out.</p><p>"And desperate," Scott said with a frown. "The whole world is watching them implode on themselves. Something like this just proves we were right."</p><p>"Have you told Heather?" Logan asked.</p><p>"I, uh, thought you guys might want to take him back with you?" Peter said. "SHIELD is good, but you've got Lifeguard and… y'know. My brainiacs say you should probably call the big blonde."</p><p>Logan pulled out his phone and stepped out of the room to get the ball rolling while Scott figured out arrangements to get Mac loaded up and back to the school, calling up Tyler to let him know he needed to come down to Westchester and that he'd be sending Kurt to get him.</p><p>Kurt didn't waste any time after he dropped Tyler off before he got to Scott and Logan, either, his eyes a bit wide as he didn't ask any questions, just got them back to Hank's lab so that Tyler could immediately set to work.</p><p>When they got to the lab, Heather was already waiting, and she barely let the smoke clear before she headed over to latch on to Logan and started to melt down. Logan was still worked up himself and wasn't saying a word more than what was absolutely necessary. "Tyler's got it covered," he told her quietly, though he didn't let her go.</p><p>It was obvious that Tyler was concerned by the fact that he was completely silent as he got down to work — but that just meant it was even more obvious when Mac was out of the woods when Tyler let his shoulders drop and sat back to relax a bit, pretty drained himself from the heavy healing.</p><p>Logan let out a breath when he saw it and waited just a moment longer before he started to steer Heather closer so Tyler could give her the good news.</p><p>And as soon as Heather was seated beside Mac and looking totally relieved, halfway melted down already, Logan was already moving to head out when Scott caught up to him. "I know what Peter said, but this isn't just about pinning everything on Mac and Alpha Flight, and you know it," he said. "If they can get their hands on you, they might be able to salvage something out of the program. It's a desperate move."</p><p>"I can't stand here and do nothing," Logan said in a low, rough tone.</p><p>"No, but you can't go in alone either," Scott said.</p><p>"I don't need to get anyone else in this if it goes south."</p><p>"Well, that's too damn bad," Scott said. "I'm coming - and I'll just bet there's a few other people who want in."</p><p>"No, you're not."</p><p>"I don't remember putting this up for a vote."</p><p>"I don't remember askin' for back up."</p><p>"You never have to," Scott said. "That's the point."</p><p>Logan stopped and turned his way. "I don't want you getting your hands dirty. If this goes bad, no one will be surprised if it's me."</p><p>"At this point, we're talking about an organization that's crossed so many lines of humans rights abuses on a <em>very </em>public stage, there's not much that we could do that we'd take a hit to our image for," Scott pointed out. "These guys are going down one way or another, and the whole world knows it."</p><p>"Scott." Logan shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>"Tell me I'm wrong," Scott said. "No one would be surprised if I was there either."</p><p>Logan let out all of his breath. "I'm going to find out if James knows who ordered this yet."</p><p>"I'll put a team together," Scott said. "You and me, Kurt, I know Noh wanted to get involved."</p><p>Logan shook his head and started to walk away, frustrated with the whole thing - and not really able to pull it together enough to explain why that was <em>not </em>going to work for him. He headed up and found James as Scott did what he did best — which was to take charge of the whole operation seamlessly and efficiently as he pulled together his A-list to avenge what had happened to Mac while Logan explained what he knew to James.</p><p>The kid took just a few seconds to think about it before he started digging, and Logan sat back and let him get to it — not in the mood to fight with anyone on the details and fully planning to just take the coordinates and the name and head out before anyone could catch up to him. Which had James making a face, since he clearly knew what his father was up to. But he wasn't going to go against his dad. "I can text it to you," James said very quietly — not intending it to be for anyone but Logan.</p><p>"So, where are we going?" Noh asked from the doorway, his arms crossed as he leaned against the doorway.</p><p>Both James and Logan glanced up at him at the same time - in the same manner - then went right back to the screen. "Don't know yet," James said.</p><p>"Well, we're all ready to leave," Noh said.</p><p>"Go ahead," James said quietly. "Just start slow. I'll text it."</p><p>Noh gestured for Logan to lead the way. "It's been a while since I went to war," he said with a smirk.</p><p>Logan looked flat out irritated but headed toward the hangar all the same as James shook his head at the both of them. "It's not a war; it's a massacre," James corrected, but he didn't know if Noh had stuck around to hear it, since he was pushing hard to get some coordinates together.</p><p>The group of X-Men were in the jet, and Logan had yet to say a word to anyone, frustrated beyond even attempting to communicate as he sat near the hatch with his arms crossed. And when his phone went off with the text from James, Kurt was quick to snatch it and relay the information to Scott.</p><p>With that set, the four of them headed off to the coordinates that James had sent — though to their surprise, when they arrived, there wasn't anything to be found. At all.</p><p>And once the four of them were well away from the blackbird, all of the tech on the jet flickered and then turned itself off a moment before James sent them a second text — though that went to all four of them. <em>Cool off. No one needs to go in right now. They think Mac is dead. Let them think it while I figure out what they were really hoping for out of this.</em></p><p>Scott pinched the bridge of his nose when he read it, though Noh almost smirked. "And thus," he said quietly, "the lack of a visit from Wiccan."</p><p>"That's not helping, Noh," Scott said.</p><p>"He's not wrong, though," Kurt admitted.</p><p>"No," Scott said, sitting back, smirking to himself.</p><p>Logan looked that much more irritated and did the only thing he could think of doing — and that was to simply head off into the woods walking due east.</p><p>Kurt let out a breath and teleported to catch up to Logan. "We can go after them together — when we know more."</p><p>"He's not going to give us jack," Logan growled out. "And it's gonna take Scott and Noh at least an hour to reboot the bird."</p><p>"So where exactly do you think you're going?" Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>"I don't know." He gestured straight ahead of himself. "That way."</p><p>"To do what?"</p><p>"What is this, Elf? Twenty questions?"</p><p>"If it is, I'll have to come up with more than that," Kurt said with a small smirk. "I'm just trying to see what it is I'm helping with."</p><p>"You're trying to slow me down, but the boy's got it covered."</p><p>"I'm trying to <em>help</em>," Kurt said, shaking his head. "So, where is it we're going?"</p><p>Logan didn't answer him, though, doubling down on his foul mood and picking up the pace a little as he got into the heavier brush.</p><hr/><p>When Chance poked his head into the medical bay, he was glad to see that Mac was up, and he grinned and waved with one hand. The other had the food his mom had sent him with.</p><p>"Healing the fast way takes it out of you," he said. "Mom sends fuel."</p><p>"You're not kidding," Mac said quietly. "Still better than the alternative, I'm told."</p><p>"Yeah, I think we'd all appreciate it if you didn't die on us," Chance agreed as he set the food down between Mac and Heather and grinned self-consciously. "Long time no see."</p><p>"Glad to see you, though," Mac said. "How are you doing? You gettin' mistreated already?"</p><p>"Oh yeah," Chance said with a smirk. "Elin's already sparring with me to get me back on track. Real hardship."</p><p>"That's what I <em>heard</em>," Mac said with a grin.</p><p>"I'm <em>so </em>lucky," Chance said honestly.</p><p>"What took you so long?" Mac asked.</p><p>Chance shrugged openly. "Oh. You know. Hydra."</p><p>"Oh, like that's much of a road block," Mac chuckled. "You <em>let </em>Hydra slow you down from getting the girl? Come on."</p><p>Chance gave Mac a dry look and then shook his head. "Okay, but you were just shot, so this should really be a 'how are <em>you</em>' thing here."</p><p>"Yeah, but I got my girl before then," Mac said. "Just saying."</p><p>"I got my girl," Chance defended.</p><p>Mac grinned a little wider. "<em>Your girl, </em>huh? How's Dad taking that?"</p><p>"I'm alive, aren't I?"</p><p>Mac was nodding slowly but giving Chance the most obnoxious smile. "I suppose so."</p><p>Chance shook his head. "Anyway, I wanted to stop by, say thanks," he said. "For, you know, sticking up for me."</p><p>"For … Chance, come on. Like I'm gonna let them drag you through the dirt."</p><p>Chance gestured at the hospital bed. "Not like it's without its dangers."</p><p>"This?" Mac said, glancing down at himself. "Part of the job."</p><p>"Yeah, well, thanks anyway," he said, backing away so Mac could be with Heather to eat together.</p><p>"You're inviting us to the wedding, right?" Mac said just as Chance got to the door.</p><p>Chance stopped outright and turned around. "Wow. Okay, first of all…anyone who says Heather's the emotional ambush one out of the pair of you is <em>wrong</em>."</p><p>"So you're not that interested," Heather said, outright looking down.</p><p>"I'm <em>eighteen</em>, Heather!" Chance said.</p><p>The two of them shared a look, shook their heads slowly, and Mac sighed while Heather tutted before they both, in unison, said, "Not interested."</p><p>Chance let out a frustrated sound and pulled his hand over his face. "How — how can you think that waiting to think about that until, you know, we're both <em>adults</em>… how is that not interested?"</p><p>"So you're just waiting for her eighteenth?" Mac said, the troublemaking grin coming back in force.</p><p>Chance stopped again and then couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Yeah, I guess I am."</p><p>Heather was beaming, and Mac wasn't far behind her at all. "Okay. Good. Go," Heather said, shooing him with both hands. "Kiss <em>your </em>girl."</p><p>"You're going to get me in trouble somehow, I just know it," Chance warned, pointing a finger at her.</p><p>"I'm not worried," Heather said with a sniff.</p><p>Chance shook his head at that and then broke into a little laugh. "See you guys around," he said as he headed off — to go find Elin.</p><hr/><p>Logan was a good stretch ahead of Kurt when Kurt got the text from Scott that said they were ready to head back, and it was only a moment after that before he teleported over to Logan and brought them both back to the jet in a blink. Not that it did much for Logan's mood in the least.</p><p>"Mac wants to talk to you before you go murdering anyone," Scott said flatly. "And James said he'll only give coordinates in person."</p><p>"Gonna have to drag his sorry little ass into the Danger Room," Logan grumbled.</p><p>"He's probably expecting it," Scott said with a small smirk — since it was hard to hide the fact that he was proud of his godson's quick thinking.</p><p>Logan growled his way and went to the furthest back spot in the jet he could as Scott simply took them back, where James was waiting for them.</p><p>"It's not a capture bait," James said, hands up. "Watch the news. I didn't even need to look that hard. It was supposed to be a smear."</p><p>"That's a desperate move for a smear," Scott said slowly</p><p>"It is," James said. "But … the guy that ordered the hit was <em>waiting </em>for Dad. Cameras in place … I know because I looped his feed with cartoons. He was hoping to get the show in living color and then have the feds release it."</p><p>Scott nodded slowly. "And now?"</p><p>"Now … they're just … saying the same crap they always have. Next best thing to animals ... that kind of unimaginative garage. Even without the fresh video."</p><p>Logan let out a little huff at that. "Nothing new, nothing that's not established as far as most are concerned."</p><p>"Then they're running out of ideas." Scott nodded once and then put a hand on Logan's shoulder. "Alright. If Mac's up, let's go see him."</p><p>"Fine," Logan rumbled, letting Scott set the pace as he was used to doing when he needed a crutch. They barely got into the medbay, though, before Heather was on her feet and made her way over to wrap up both of them in hugs. As soon as she'd let Logan go, she got a hold of Scott and seemed to make a point out of squeezing the stuffing out of him.</p><p>Logan side stepped closer to Mac, and when he was close enough, Mac yanked him over to lean over his shoulder. "They're not worth it. I'm fine. Let them melt down on their own unless something comes up. <em>Please</em>."</p><p>"They're draggin' you through the mud and sayin' you had a hand in screwing up those kids," Logan pointed out, still sounding irked. "I'm not gonna stand by for that."</p><p>"Well … it'll come out. Wait until they talk to the kids — and they will. It'll come out." Before Logan could argue, Mac threw his arm over his shoulder and pulled him closer. "Then — <em>after </em>they've screwed themselves — you can go after them if you still want to."</p><p>"Takin' all the joy out of this, Hudson," Logan growled out.</p><p>"Please. As if there was any joy in it to begin with," Mac said.</p><hr/><p>"Soup's on!" Annie announced as she slipped downstairs to where Heather was still sitting with Mac; Hank wanted to give him a little more time to recover before he would okay his release.</p><p>Heather smiled when she saw the big spread. "You really went all out, didn't you?"</p><p>"I may have <em>way </em>too much experience cooking for people who have nearly died. Including my own kids." Annie gave her a tight smile. "Are y'all okay?"</p><p>"Surprisingly so," Heather promised. "But I don't think even after all that healing we can eat all this." She gestured at the over-full plates. "You didn't have to put yourself out."</p><p>Annie smiled lightly. "I have a lot of excess energy, sorry. My anniversary is coming up, but with everything going on…"</p><p>Heather's whole expression fell. "You're not thinking of postponing?"</p><p>"I…"</p><p>"Annie," Heather said, reaching out to grab her hand, "we're fine. And if anyone comes after him again, they'll have <em>me </em>to answer to."</p><p>Annie couldn't help but smirk. "Nice to have you around."</p><p>"Someone has to help K keep track of these unruly boys."</p><p>"True enough," Annie said, leaving to give the Hudsons some privacy.</p><p>She wasn't convinced everything wouldn't fall apart without her and Scott, but it was nice to have Heather around to restore some of her hope.</p><hr/><p>"Shut up, get out. Be happy," K said, physically pushing Annie out of the kitchen.</p><p>Annie looked totally floored as she tried to duck away from K. "But everything is so hectic right now, and we really can reschedule—"</p><p>"It's always hectic; it'll be fine. We've got it, and I have a nuclear option to keep Logan here if I need to. I've got it. Go. Celebrate."</p><p>Annie stared at K for a moment. "It's just that…"</p><p>"Annie." K let out all of her breath. "Please. Go and enjoy those gorgeous brown eyes."</p><p>Annie let out a breath, though K knew when she started to smile that she had her. "Scott won't have his phone or his comm, so if it's an emergency…"</p><p>"I know," K said. "We will have no such emergency, I am <em>willing </em>it into not happening."</p><p>Annie couldn't help but laugh and then squeezed K in a quick hug. "I love you too," she said with a smile.</p><p>"I've got it, I promise. You need to get lost — both of you," K said before she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Get the hell out."</p><p>Annie laughed again, and she headed out to snag Scott and inform him that they had been more or less ordered to take their planned anniversary trip — though she was a little surprised that he didn't take as much convincing as she'd thought he would.</p><p>"K said that she was willing things to be quiet for us," Annie teased.</p><p>"We could probably use all the help we can get," Scott said with a smirk before he simply swept her up and started to carry her out to the small jet that they were taking out to Savannah.</p><p>Annie laughed as she resettled herself with her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "You sure you're going to be alright being so far from the family?"</p><p>"They'll be fine," Scott said with a smile and kissed her back. "The kids can handle things."</p><p>"Oh, I see how it is," Annie said.</p><p>"Hey," he said. "I think we did a pretty good job with them, don't you?"</p><p>"We must have, if you trust them to run things while we're gone."</p><p>Scott just smirked as he set her down and kissed her again. "Well, I blame you, personally."</p><p>"I'll take credit for that," she said, laughing at him as he got the jet ready to go. "Happy anniversary, Scott."</p><p>He grinned at her and then kissed her cheek. "And here's to many more."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is the last chapter of this volume! Keep your eyes peeled for the next one, "Approval," very soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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